Script Analysis for Actors, Directors, and Designers, 4th Edition

CHAPTER 6

Character

The term character has taken on assorted meanings over time. It developed from a Middle English root associated with something fixed and permanent, like an identifying mark or a sign on a building. During Shakespeare’s time character was still considered a permanent feature. It was said to result from bodily fluids called humours that were once thought to control the tendencies of one’s spirit (more about this below). In the nineteenth century character continued to mean a fixed state of development, though with added implications as in, “She has character.” This meaning was associated with moral strength, self-discipline, and, most important to the Victorians, respectability. The modern meaning of character is more wide-ranging. ...