I'm curious as to how you would view an intensely violent character, one who is brutal and savage and generally unfeeling/uncaring about the suffering and harm caused to others they see as opposition, but is still in some ways sympathetic. My own character from my military sf, for instance, displays almost psychopathic tendencies towards cruelty and often extreme violence and uncontrollable rage, but as the narrative goes on he becomes increasingly unable to cope with the psychological trauma of near-constant warfare, terror, and vivid, horrifying hallucinations that plague him, as well as intensifying paranoia, derealization, and constant fear. He becomes irrational and falls into a downward spiral and a vicious cycle: he deals with his own trauma through more and more openly suicidal actions on the battlefield and disturbing violence towards the opposition.
My question is, how would you view a character of this sort? Would you feel sympathy for them?
BQ1: Do you know of any characters like this who are presented as the protagonist?
BQ2: Any suggestions?
My question is, how would you view a character of this sort? Would you feel sympathy for them?
BQ1: Do you know of any characters like this who are presented as the protagonist?
BQ2: Any suggestions?