Recognition of the Villain

In this piece, I want to revalue the role of the villain in storytelling — not only as an archetypal figure, but as a true engine of the narrative. As a counterforce, a dark mirror to the hero, the villain’s function is often as important as that of the protagonist.

In many stories, it is the villain who moves the first piece, setting the narrative in motion. The villain carries a desire, a need, a clear intention — usually rooted in deep, atavistic human impulses — that drives the story forward.

In this sense, the writer becomes an artisan, crafting conflict and its actors to reveal intrinsic mechanisms of human nature. That is why stories, even fictional ones, resonate so deeply and keep us engaged.