"Many of world literature's most unlikable protagonists start unlikeable and end unlikeable. From the very beginning of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, it is clear that the titular Gray is a narcissist who'll do anything to inflate his already monstrous ego."
"Protagonists who seem likable and then turn out unlikeable - let's call them turncloaks for the sake of ease - can illuminate the dark side of seemingly positive qualities and characteristics."
"Each of these archetypes serves a distinct narrative purpose. Tragic heroes demonstrate that even the best of us can be brought low by unavoidable destiny."
Unlikable protagonists in literature can be categorized into two types: those who are unlikable from the start and those who begin as sympathetic but become unsympathetic. The former includes characters like Dorian Gray and Humbert Humbert, while the latter, termed 'turncloaks,' illustrate the darker aspects of positive traits. These characters, unlike tragic heroes or antiheroes, lead readers down a twisted path, challenging perceptions of morality and likability. Examples include Dostoevsky's characters who undergo significant transformations.
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