main character
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main character
The central and most important person in a story, film, play, or novel. The plot mainly revolves around them.
Die Hauptfigur des Romans ist ein junger Detektiv, der einen mysteriösen Fall löst.
The main character of the novel is a young detective who solves a mysterious case.
This noun is made up of 'Haupt-' (most important, central) and 'Figur' (character, figure). So it literally refers to the 'most important character' in a narrative.
In vielen Märchen ist die Hauptfigur eine Prinzessin oder ein Prinz.
In many fairy tales, the main character is a princess or a prince.
The term 'Hauptfigur' (main character) is used almost exclusively in the context of media and art, that is, when talking about books, films, plays, series, or video games.
Die Zuschauer konnten sich gut mit der Hauptfigur des Films identifizieren.
The viewers could easily identify with the main character of the film.
Common verbs used with 'Hauptfigur' (main character) are 'die Hauptfigur spielen/darstellen' (to play/portray the main character), 'sich mit der Hauptfigur identifizieren' (to identify with the main character), or 'die Handlung dreht sich um die Hauptfigur' (the plot revolves around the main character).
Die ganze Geschichte dreht sich um die Entwicklung der Hauptfigur.
The whole story revolves around the development of the main character.
hero
'der Held' and 'die Hauptfigur' can refer to the same person in stories, films, or novels. Both can mean the character around whom the plot revolves. 'die Hauptfigur' is neutral and only says that this person is the most important for the story. 'der Held' often sounds more positive and fits especially when the character is brave or does something good. It is easy to confuse the words because many stories have a main character who is also a hero. But a main character does not have to be brave or good.
Die Hauptfigur des Buches zieht am Anfang in eine fremde Stadt.
The main character of the book moves to an unfamiliar city at the beginning.
Leon spielt in dem Theaterstück den Helden, der seine Freunde beschützt.
Leon plays the hero in the play, who protects his friends.