In a novel or play, a confidant (male) or a confidante (female) is a character, often a friend or relative of the hero or heroine, whose role is to be present when the hero or heroine needs a sympathetic listener to confide in. frequently the result is, as henry james remarked, that the confidant or confidante can be as much "the reader’s friend as the protagonist’s." however, the author sometimes uses this character for other purposes as well. choose a confidant or confidante from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you discuss the various ways this character functions in the work. you may write your essay on one of the following novels or plays or on another of comparable quality. do not write on a poem or short story