An antagonist, in literature, is the character or force that opposes the protagonist in the protagonist's effort to prevail in the story's conflict
. This opposition creates conflict in the story and builds tension. The antagonist can be a person, a group of characters, the status quo, forces of nature, or even the protagonist themself
. The purpose of an antagonist is to challenge the protagonist, creating drama and making the story more engaging to readers
. The term can also refer to a muscle that contracts with and limits the action of an agonist, or a chemical that reduces the physiological activity of another chemical, especially on the nervous system
