funny
funny
The less serious character in Elizabethan tragedies that contrasts with the more central serious character is known as the "foil." Foils are used to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the main character through comparison.
Literally, a foil is a fencing sword, used primarily in sparring. A fencer who wants to improve his performance would spar with someone who is as good or better than he is. Metaphorically, therefore, a foil is any character whose appearance in the story serves to bring out the characteristics of the main character more clearly, usually by acting in conflict with or in contrast to that character.
cowardly
fearful
A foil is a character placed beside the protagonist to bring out his or her qualities. For instance, if one character (the foil) treats someone poorly and the protagonist treats the same person well, the compassion of the main character is more noticeable.
Comic foil
A foil is a character that highlights the qualities of another character through contrast.
In literature a 'foil' is a character that characterizes another character by contrast. A 'romantic foil' would simply be a foil in a romantic story, where the conflict and contrast have something to do with romance. The classic example of a foil is Lucy Westenra and Wilhelmina Harker (Nee Murray) in the novel Dracula. Another classic example of a romantic foil would be Carmen and Micaëla.
To provide an opposite to a character
To provide an opposite to a character
A character whose lighthearted ways contrast with the heavier, more serious nature of the tragic hero is known as the comic foil.