--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every antagonist is a protagonist in his…" description: "\"Every antagonist is a protagonist in his own right.\" — Puneet Issar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/puneet-issar-10444_antagonist_every-antagonist-is-a-protagonist-in-his_1448988.jpg" --- # Every antagonist is a protagonist in his own right. ![“Every antagonist is a protagonist in his own right.” quote by Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/puneet-issar-10444_antagonist_every-antagonist-is-a-protagonist-in-his_1448988.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/puneet-issar-10444_antagonist_every-antagonist-is-a-protagonist-in-his_1448988.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/puneet-issar-10444_antagonist_every-antagonist-is-a-protagonist-in-his_1448988.jpg) > “Every antagonist is a protagonist in his own right.” [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Each character sees themselves as the hero of their own story, shaping their actions and motives. **In simple terms:** People view themselves as heroes. Key Takeaway Recognize others’ perspectives. Themes identity perspective conflict Mood reflective analytical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - storytelling - character analysis - role‑play - creative writing Key Concepts narrative framing self‑justification Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing yourself as a hero affect your choices? - Can empathy for antagonists blur moral lines? A Different Perspective Assumes all antagonists are self‑justified, ignoring harmful intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Antagonist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antagonist/) [Protagonist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protagonist/) ## Related quotes > [Antagonist of others. Protagonist of their own. That's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pn2ppr-hrt2mnd/antagonist-of-others-protagonist-of-their-own-that-s-life/) Pn2ppr\_hrt2mnd > [“EVERY STORY HAS AN ANTAGONIST and a protagonist. Hero and villain. Good and evil. Yada, yada, yada. Thing is, I bet in each story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-malcom/every-story-has-an-antagonist-and-a-protagonist-hero-and-villain-good/) [Anne Malcom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-malcom/) > [Each character, be it the antagonist or the protagonist, brings with himself his own personality... and I have tried to stay true to each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rana-daggubati/each-character-be-it-the-antagonist-or-the-protagonist-brings-with/) [Rana Daggubati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rana-daggubati/) > [I love when a protagonist and antagonist can find common ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-love-when-a-protagonist-and-antagonist-can-find-common-ground/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [Nobody is ever just a straight up protagonist or antagonist - everybody's morally ambiguous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheyenne-jackson/nobody-is-ever-just-a-straight-up-protagonist-or-antagonist-everybody/) [Cheyenne Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheyenne-jackson/) > [“In general, the best antagonists in fiction represent the protagonist’s Shadow. By confronting and ultimately defeating the antagonist, the hero reintegrates these disparate aspects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-raywood/in-general-the-best-antagonists-in-fiction-represent-the-protagonist/) Will Raywood > [I don't judge in my books. I don't have to have the antagonist get shot or the protagonist win. It's just how it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-don-t-judge-in-my-books-i-don-t-have-to-have-the-antagonist-get/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I think in any movie really the two most interesting parts are the protagonist and the antagonist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cung-le/i-think-in-any-movie-really-the-two-most-interesting-parts-are-the/) [Cung Le](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cung-le/) > [I'm a filmmaker, and I was most influenced by Hitchcock's films. How he could plant such deep enriched characters and then make us care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/i-m-a-filmmaker-and-i-was-most-influenced-by-hitchcock-s-films-how-he/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [It almost seems as though this roiling world is conspiring to test our patience at every turn. In fact, it is. With this in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-almost-seems-as-though-this-roiling-world-is-conspiring-to-test/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We honor revelation too highly to make it the antagonist of reason, or to believe that it calls us to renounce our highest powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/we-honor-revelation-too-highly-to-make-it-the-antagonist-of-reason-or/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Remember that when you meet your antagonist, to do everything in a mild agreeable manner. Let your courage be keen, but, at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/remember-that-when-you-meet-your-antagonist-to-do-everything-in-a/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [Evil is relative - and what I mean by that is that our villains are as complex, as deep and as compelling as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-johns/evil-is-relative-and-what-i-mean-by-that-is-that-our-villains-are-as/) [Geoff Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-johns/) > [Self-love . . . is the sole antagonist of virtue, leading us constantly by our propensities to self-gratification in violation of our moral duties to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/self-love-is-the-sole-antagonist-of-virtue-leading-us-constantly-by/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [For me, in any story that I take, the antagonist is more interesting and multi-dimensional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vetrimaaran/for-me-in-any-story-that-i-take-the-antagonist-is-more-interesting/) [Vetrimaaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vetrimaaran/) ## More by Puneet Issar > [Filmmaking seems more difficult but theatre comes with its own challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/filmmaking-seems-more-difficult-but-theatre-comes-with-its-own/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [God has been kind, people have given me a household name. Even after 30 years, they think I am Duryodhana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/god-has-been-kind-people-have-given-me-a-household-name-even-after-30/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [For me, 'Bigg Boss' was like a correction centre. I think every man and woman in every state should be sent there. People take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/for-me-bigg-boss-was-like-a-correction-centre-i-think-every-man-and/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [In 2004, I was visiting my cousins in San Francisco and we were in a restaurant talking in Punjabi. We suddenly saw heads turn.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/in-2004-i-was-visiting-my-cousins-in-san-francisco-and-we-were-in-a/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [With newcomers in your cast, any producer would allocate a budget of not more than Rs 5-6 crores. But the scale I wanted was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/with-newcomers-in-your-cast-any-producer-would-allocate-a-budget-of/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [I believe that history is written by the victors, but what about the vanquished? They also have a story to tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/i-believe-that-history-is-written-by-the-victors-but-what-about-the/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [Given a chance, I would love to host a television show as I have good communication skills and am fluent in Hindi, English and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/given-a-chance-i-would-love-to-host-a-television-show-as-i-have-good/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [As you age, you should be graceful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/as-you-age-you-should-be-graceful/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [There is no meaning to light if there is no darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/there-is-no-meaning-to-light-if-there-is-no-darkness/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [I was nominated 13 times during my 15-week stay in 'Bigg Boss' but they couldn't get me out. That is because I was truthful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/i-was-nominated-13-times-during-my-15-week-stay-in-bigg-boss-but-they/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [Artificial intelligence is taking over a lot of things. Jobs are going to go but artists and theatre are not going anywhere because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/artificial-intelligence-is-taking-over-a-lot-of-things-jobs-are-going/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [Being in front of a live audience is like taking an steroid shot. The applause, the claps in each and every dialogue , people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/being-in-front-of-a-live-audience-is-like-taking-an-steroid-shot-the/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [You cannot have another 'Ten Commandments' or 'Ben Hur' or 'Sholay' or 'Mother India.' Likewise you cannot have another 'Mahabharat.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/you-cannot-have-another-ten-commandments-or-ben-hur-or-sholay-or/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [It's wonderful when you're performing and the audience responds to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/it-s-wonderful-when-you-re-performing-and-the-audience-responds-to-it/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) > [What is wrong is wrong but there has to be a layered narrative. And that is what makes 'Mahabharat' timeless. People find its characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/what-is-wrong-is-wrong-but-there-has-to-be-a-layered-narrative-and/) [Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) [Explore all 65 Puneet Issar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/) ## More Antagonist quotes > [For me, in any story that I take, the antagonist is more interesting and multi-dimensional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vetrimaaran/for-me-in-any-story-that-i-take-the-antagonist-is-more-interesting/) [Vetrimaaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vetrimaaran/) > [Self-love . . . is the sole antagonist of virtue, leading us constantly by our propensities to self-gratification in violation of our moral duties to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/self-love-is-the-sole-antagonist-of-virtue-leading-us-constantly-by/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Evil is relative - and what I mean by that is that our villains are as complex, as deep and as compelling as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-johns/evil-is-relative-and-what-i-mean-by-that-is-that-our-villains-are-as/) [Geoff Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-johns/) > [Remember that when you meet your antagonist, to do everything in a mild agreeable manner. Let your courage be keen, but, at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/remember-that-when-you-meet-your-antagonist-to-do-everything-in-a/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [We honor revelation too highly to make it the antagonist of reason, or to believe that it calls us to renounce our highest powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/we-honor-revelation-too-highly-to-make-it-the-antagonist-of-reason-or/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [It almost seems as though this roiling world is conspiring to test our patience at every turn. In fact, it is. With this in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-almost-seems-as-though-this-roiling-world-is-conspiring-to-test/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Horror itself is a bit of a bullied genre, the antagonist being literary snobbery and public misconception. And I think good horror tackles our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kealan-patrick-burke/horror-itself-is-a-bit-of-a-bullied-genre-the-antagonist-being/) [Kealan Patrick Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kealan-patrick-burke/) > [I'm a filmmaker, and I was most influenced by Hitchcock's films. How he could plant such deep enriched characters and then make us care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/i-m-a-filmmaker-and-i-was-most-influenced-by-hitchcock-s-films-how-he/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [Because the character is a fiction, he's a composite of other contributors to the science that brought this enzyme therapy through the process. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/because-the-character-is-a-fiction-he-s-a-composite-of-other/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [If you have to be the antagonist, you often have a lot more creative powers. You have a lot more color to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-atherton/if-you-have-to-be-the-antagonist-you-often-have-a-lot-more-creative/) William Atherton > [“I mean, without the antagonist, there would be no story! It’d be like: ‘Once upon a time there was a girl who wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/i-mean-without-the-antagonist-there-would-be-no-story-it-d-be-like/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [“Alice started to understand why people found her repulsive. In stories, anyone who didn't look quite right, who wasn't a perfect human being, was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-byng/alice-started-to-understand-why-people-found-her-repulsive-in-stories/) [Georgia Byng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-byng/) > [Error indeed has often prevailed by the assistance of power or force. Truth is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/error-indeed-has-often-prevailed-by-the-assistance-of-power-or-force/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [We are the 1000 children of death. We're in-between, on the fence. Non-descript antagonists. I'm in-between, on the fence. Non-descript antagonist!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otep/we-are-the-1000-children-of-death-we-re-in-between-on-the-fence-non/) [Otep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otep/) > [From a real antagonist one gains boundless courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/from-a-real-antagonist-one-gains-boundless-courage/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) [Browse all 123 Antagonist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antagonist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every antagonist is a protagonist in his own right.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Puneet Issar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/every-antagonist-is-a-protagonist-in-his-own-right/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Antagonist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/every-antagonist-is-a-protagonist-in-his-own-right/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/puneet-issar-10444_antagonist_every-antagonist-is-a-protagonist-in-his_1448988.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/puneet-issar-10444_antagonist_every-antagonist-is-a-protagonist-in-his_1448988.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/puneet-issar-10444_antagonist_every-antagonist-is-a-protagonist-in-his_1448988.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Every antagonist is a protagonist in his own right.” — Puneet Issar", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Puneet Issar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Every antagonist is a protagonist in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/every-antagonist-is-a-protagonist-in-his-own-right/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/every-antagonist-is-a-protagonist-in-his-own-right/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```