#actantial model

• Actant — A structural concept developed in linguistics by L. Tesnière and extended into narratology by A.J. Greimas. In linguistics, it defines the being, object, or concept actively or passively participating in the process expressed by a verb (equivalent to verbal arguments). In literary theory and semiotics, it represents an abstract unit or a functional role within a narrative model (e.g., Subject, Object, Sender, Receiver, Helper, Opponent), regardless of whether it is embodied by a character, a group, or an inanimate object.
• Actantial — Pertaining to actants or their roles; relating to the functional structure of roles within a narrative or a syntactic framework. In literary theory and semiotics, the term describes the structural network of relationships among the agents of an action (the actantial model), highlighting how narrative forces interact to propel the plot, independent of the characters' psychological identities.