Rahpooye Honar/Performing Arts

Rahpooye Honar/Performing Arts

A Comparative Study of the Antagonist in the Animated Films Puss in Boots 1 and Puss in Boots 2

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Master's degree student in Dramatic Literature, Dramatic Literature Department, Faculty of Arts, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Dramatic Literature, Department of Dramatic Literature, Faculty of Arts, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Animation and Cinema, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
The antagonist character is one of the most critical elements of a screenplay, in which many of the story's conflicts revolve around. This article examines the villain character in the animated films Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, focusing on the process of character formation and the change in the pattern of antagonist characterization. The reason for selecting these works is that the first movie, unlike most of the available examples, portrays a deep and unexpected relationship between the antagonist and protagonist, enhancing a unique sense of Identification in the audience. In the second movie, the antagonist plays the role of force of nature and strives to challenge the protagonist's existence in the world of the living. This research relies on the theories of Dean Movshovitz and John Truby. Movshovitz emphasizes the importance of empathy towards characters to foster a sense of Identification with them; John Truby emphasizes the development of Heroes and Villains that have a direct relationship with each other. The method used in this research is descriptive-analytical, and it involves comparing works in the field of American comparative literature. The results of this study will show that although creating Villains that one can empathize with may seem like an unusual subject, it leads to the creation of different and positive tensions in animated screenplays.
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  • Receive Date 24 August 2024
  • Revise Date 20 March 2025
  • Accept Date 13 February 2025