Fictional Characters in Literary Theory — A Short History
E-REA January 9, 2025 Marcus Hartner
This article traces the history of character theory in literary studies from structuralism to current 4E cognition approaches. It argues that the influential (post)structuralist conception of characters as signs, symbols, and plot functions, still prominent in scholarship, fails to account for the fascination literary figures exert on readers. Focusing on narratology, the article shows how this "antihumanist" view has been challenged over recent decades, and how new theoretical developments in character theory are closely linked to broader shifts in literary theory.