Definition

Noun: - The role of the character after whom the play is named: This refers to the specific character in a theatrical play whose name is also the title of the play. This character is typically the central protagonist or a figure of paramount importance to the story.

Usage

The term "name part" is used almost exclusively in the context of theater and dramatic criticism. It identifies the lead role that carries the play's title.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The actor was nervous about taking on the name part in 'Hamlet'. (The actor was nervous about playing the character Hamlet in the play titled Hamlet.)
  • Winning the name part in 'Macbeth' is considered a great honor for any classical actor. (Being cast as Macbeth in the play Macbeth is a significant achievement.)

Advanced Usage

• The concept can be extended to operas, films, or other narrative works where the title is a character's name, though "title role" is a more common and general term in these contexts.
  • She is best known for performing the name part in the opera 'Tosca'. (Her most famous role is playing the character Floria Tosca in the opera of the same name.)

Variants and Related Words

• Title role (noun): A more general synonym for "name part," commonly used for films, operas, and plays. It refers to the role of the character whose name forms the title of the work.
  • He made his debut in the title role of 'Cyrano de Bergerac'.

Synonyms

• Title role: The character whose name is the title of a dramatic work.
• Eponymous role: A more formal term meaning the role of the character who gives their name to the title.

Related Phrases

• To play the name part: This phrase describes the action of performing this specific role.
  • She will play the name part in the upcoming production of 'Antigone'.

Noun

1. the role of the character after whom the play is named