actant

An actant is a term used in semiotics and narratology to refer to an entity—human, animal, object, or abstract force—that participates in the action of a narrative by fulfilling a specific functional role. The concept was developed by Algirdas Julien Greimas in structural semantics during the 1960s as part of the actantial model, a schematic way of describing how stories are organized.

In Greimas's actantial model, narrative action is described through six actants arranged in three functional pairs: the Subject and the Object; the Sender and the Receiver; the Helper and the Opponent. The Subject is the protagonist who seeks the Object, motivated by the Sender, with the outcome intended to benefit the Receiver. The Helper provides aid, while the Opponent resists or obstructs. This framework focuses on roles and relations within the plot rather than on character psychology alone.

Actants can be humans, nonhuman agents, objects, institutions, or abstract forces. The model is widely used to analyze myths, folktales, films, and novels by mapping the functional roles actors play in the storyline. A single character may fulfill multiple actant roles at different points, and nonhuman actants—such as a magical object or a fate-like force—can assume actantial functions.

Critiques note that the model is highly schematic and may overlook nuances of character development and thematic complexity. Nevertheless, it remains influential in narratology and film studies as a tool for identifying overall narrative organization and the functional dynamics that drive plots.