The ''ingénue'' (, , ) is a

stock character A stock character, also known as a character archetype, is a fictional character in a work of art such as a novel, play, or a film whom audiences recognize from frequent recurrences in a particular literary tradition. There is a wide range of st ...

in literature, film and a role type in the theater, generally a girl or a young woman, who is endearingly innocent. ''Ingénue'' may also refer to a new young actress or one typecast in such roles. The term comes from the feminine form of the French adjective meaning "ingenuous" or innocent, virtuous and candid. The term may also imply a lack of sophistication and cunning. Typically, the ''ingénue'' is beautiful, kind, gentle, sweet, virginal and often naïve; additionally, she is often in mental, emotional, or even physical danger—usually a target of the

cad Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve co ...

—whom she may have mistaken for the

hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ...

. The ''ingénue'' usually lives with her father, husband, or a father figure. The vamp (femme fatale) is often a foil for the ''ingénue'' (or the

damsel in distress The damsel in distress is a recurring narrative device in which one or more men must rescue a woman who has either been kidnapped or placed in general peril. Kinship, love, or lust (or a combination of those) gives the male protagonist the motiv ...

). The ''ingénue'' is often accompanied by a romantic side plot. This romance is usually considered pure and harmless to both participants. In many cases, the male participant is as innocent as the ''ingénue''. The ''ingénue'' is also similar to the

girl-next-door The girl next door is a young female stock character who is often used in romantic stories. She is so named because she often lives next door to the protagonist or is a childhood friend. They start out with a mutual friendship that later ofte ...

stereotype. In opera and musical theater, the ''ingénue'' is usually sung by a lyric soprano. The ''ingénue'' usually has the fawn-eyed innocence of a child but subtle sexual appeal as well.

References

* *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ingénue Female stock characters

See also

References

External links