Note: (Sir) Arthur Evans is an historical person, the man famous for excavating the palace of Knossos. Henry Schliemann is also an historical figure, famous for doing archielogical excavations and famous for finding the historical Troy - though there’s a lot of debate on what he actually acchieved and the controversial ways and methods he used. Both are more or less larger than life characters on which there could be plenty to base a story on. The belov outlined characters of them as antagonists are highly my own impressions of them after doing a lot of research, some pondering and some tweeking. This is meant for a short story, hence why the descriptions might be a bit cramped.
Question #1: What does your hero want?
• Goals:
Knowledge, Belonging
• What makes your hero get up in the morning?
Curiosity and restlessness
• What is his heart’s deepest desire, conscious or otherwise?
To be recognised by his father as a great man in his own right
• What does he think he wants?
A new endeavour in which he can let loose his drive for action and achievment
• What does he actually want?
Recognition for doing something great for the world and to please his father
• What tangible goals has he set to achieve them?
He has set up a meeting with the world famous archelogist adventurer Henry Schlieman, to question him about his achievements and methods in doing archelogical field work in Troy, Tiryns and Mycene. Also he has found some coins in an Athens market, that he’d like to show and get answers on
• Is his goal possible?
Yes, he has been inviteted to meet Schliemann at his villa in Athens
• How can we relate to his goal?
Human curiosity to learn more, to not rest until you’ve gotten to the bottom of things
• Why do we want him to succeed?
Because we want to see the answers to his questions and where it will take him
Question #2: How does your hero need to change?
• What are your protagonist’s flaws?
No real grasp of his own identity and restless search for where to belong,
• Which of them will pose the biggest hindrance to his success in attaining his goal?
To not know his own identity.
• Where does his primary flaw come from?
His mother died while he was 7 years old. His father didn’t give him much attencion or affection, and they never spoke of her.
• What are his wounds and backstory?
Arthur was an restless youngster from an family where scholar success was important, not least to please his father, who was a very petty man, always obtained by either work or his other interests which were of scholar nature. Though well taken care for with love by his stepmother, his original parents where more or less absent through his upbringing.
• How can we relate to his flaw?
Knowing who one self is and where we belong is something everybody have struggled with at some point in our life.
• Why do we want him to change?
We can fel pity with him, because he is still struggling with his own identity and hope that he will find himself.
Question #3: Why do we care?
• What does he stand for?
Arthur stands for one who has been abandoned emotionally, never finding that family to belong to and searching for aproval and recognition from others to reflect himself as to know his own identity and belong
• How can we relate to him?
The searching and curious nature in all of us to aquire knowledge and inner peace with one self
• What are his quirks, habits and mannerisms?
He can be a bit hasty and in that step on someones toes, but still with the apologetic mannerisms of an english gentleman of the 19th centurary
• What does he look and sound like?
He is a relativly young and dashing english gentleman of the 19th centurary
• What makes him unique?
He is bold and eager person, having travelled around and done many things. Amongst other things he’s been a correspondent writing for an english newspaper on happenings in the Balkans, where he got engaged in and was taking active part in the local revolutionary movement and in unofficial negotiantions and even a spy for some time. However, he began as a scholar and somewhat of a brat, to a large extent living on his fathers riches.
• Who matters to him most in the world?
His wife Margaret.
• What does he fear?
To be left alone and to have nothing to be passionate about.
• How does he act in front of his greatest idol?
With much moderation, very humble, hoping to not letting his eager nature take ahold of himself, failing only when getting too excited.
• What makes him cry?
Injustices done to the opressed or defenceless - in some cases when being done to himself.
• What makes him laugh?
Small-teasings amongst himself, his brothers and sisters.
• If his house was on fire, what’s the one thing he would save?
His collection of ancient coins.
• Who cares about him most in the world?
His father, though unfortunatly in a somewhat negative way, not encouraging him, but putting pressure on him to do some greatness, but never really acting pleased
Question #4: What are the stakes?
• Why is it absolutely necessary for our main character to succeed?
He needs to prove to his father that he can be a respected scholar, able to question and prove Henry Schliemann is a fraud who is not respecting ”real” archelogy, which is his fathers view. In so showing he hopes to become a man in his own right to his fathers liking.
• What terrible thing will happen if he doesn’t get what he wants?
He will feel utterly unsatisifed and disapointed.
• What terrible thing will happen if he doesn’t grow in the way he needs?
He will lose himself completly in his fathers eyes.
• Fill in the blanks:
If he can’t prove Schliemann is a fraud then he won’t be able to get his fathers liking.
Question #5: What are the obstacles?
• What or who is standing in between him and his goal?
Not putting Henry Schliemann to the test and revealing if he is a fraud.
• What or who is standing in between him and positive change?
Realising that there is more to a man than what others think of him.
• How can the obstacles between him and his goal act as a catalyst for change?
Coming to the realisation, he himself can finally break loose of trying so hard to live up to his fathers rather extreme expectations of him.