three types of antagonist songs
everydayatleast:
1. The Jam. Over-the-top, sometimes even cartoonish. Witty and cleverly written. It’s low-key everyone’s favorite song. Antagonist has a great outfit, honestly.
Finding Neverland (“Live By the Hook”), Hamilton (”You’ll Be Back,” “What’d I Miss”?), Next to Normal (”I’m Alive”), Tuck Everlasting (”Everything’s Golden”)
- most commonly seen: when the antagonist comes second to the true struggle in the story: the protagonist versus themself.
2. The Lullaby. Sometimes a moment of deep introspection, sometimes a sinister love song. Can be one of the most tender songs in the entire musical.
Hamilton (“Wait for It”), Les Misérables (”Stars”), Next to Normal (”There’s a World”), Waitress (”You Will Still Be Mine”)
- most commonly seen: when the antagonist, rather than being a simple nuisance, is a constant deadly threat to the protagonist, as well as symbolizing some facet of the protagonist’s past/identity that they struggle to be free of.
3. The Admission. The protagonist realizes they have become the antagonist. Often takes the form of a speech or confession to other characters.
A Little Night Music (“Send in the Clowns”), Dear Evan Hansen (“Words Fail”), Falsettos (“Father to Son”), Merrily We Roll Along (“Merrily We Roll Along”)
- most commonly seen: when it’s the protagonist themself who messes everything up. This type of song is otherwise known as a Big Mood.
