A doppelganger is a character in literature who is physically identical to another, often the protagonist, and can act as an “evil twin” or represent an aspect of the character. It can create conflict or reveal information about the character, and may be literal or metaphorical. In some stories, it may even be a supernatural agent of mischief or represent an unacknowledged facet of the character.
A doppelganger’s literary function is typically to act as a representation of some aspect of a character, usually as an “evil twin” or in an equally dark capacity. This can be used as a plot device to drive conflict in the story, such as an antagonist who is identical to the protagonist and whose actions result in hardship for that protagonist. It can also be more metaphorical in nature, perhaps acting as an illusion or hallucination that reveals information about a character. In the more fantastical stories, this figure may even be part of the character, perhaps the darker aspects of the protagonist who have been separated and left to act without conscience.
A doppelganger, a term borrowed from German and literally translated as “double walker,” is a figure physically identical to another person. In literature, this person is typically identical to a major character, often the protagonist of the story. One of the main ways this type of character can be used is to harass or create conflict for the protagonist. While one may be of supernatural origin, it could easily be an identical twin. The actions of this “other” can then have consequences for the protagonist, creating conflict as the main character tries to undo these actions.
In some stories, a doppelganger can be more metaphorical and less literal. Someone, for example, might have a dream or experience a hallucination in which they see themselves taking some action or saying something significant. A character in a story who is keeping a terrible secret, for example, might be punished by his own reflection as a symbol of his conscience and guilt. While a character who simply talks to himself may work in a story, it can be more powerful for that character to actually see a figure who represents an inner conflict or angst.
A doppelganger in a story may also function in more supernatural ways, often as an agent of mischief or representing some unacknowledged facet of a character. Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, for example, uses this idea in a slightly twisted way to portray the darker, more violent side of humanity. A character in a story could be split in two, with all the violence and instinct within them materializing in a physical way. This creates direct conflict, not necessarily because people think the protagonist acts a certain way, but as an external representation of the character’s internal conflict or struggle that he or she literally has to overcome.
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