The Great Dictator - Characters & Cast

His primary motivations are survival, love for Hannah, and a fundamental sense of decency and kindness. He simply wants to live a peaceful life but is forced by circumstance to confront evil.

The barber begins as a naive and amnesiac victim, unaware of the political horrors that have consumed his country. As he experiences the brutality of the regime and falls in love with Hannah, he is moved to small acts of defiance. His journey culminates in an extraordinary moment where, mistaken for the dictator, he finds his voice and delivers a powerful speech for humanity, transforming from a passive victim into an active and courageous advocate for freedom.

His sole motivation is the acquisition of absolute power and world domination. He is driven by narcissism, hatred, and a deep-seated insecurity that manifests in his bombastic speeches and temper tantrums.

Hynkel is a static character, remaining a power-mad, insecure, and ridiculous figure throughout the film. He does not grow or change but instead serves as a consistent object of satire. His arc is one of escalating ambition, from persecuting Jews to planning the invasion of neighboring countries, which is ultimately thwarted by his own buffoonery when he is mistaken for the barber and arrested.

Hannah is motivated by a desire for a better, more just world. She fights for her dignity and the safety of her community, and she embodies the spirit of hope that persists even in the darkest of times.

Hannah is a resilient and defiant resident of the ghetto. She maintains her hope and spirit despite the persecution. Initially a fighter who stands up to the stormtroopers, she is forced to flee with her family. Her journey represents the plight of refugees. The film ends with her listening to the barber's speech on the radio, her face turning towards the sunlight in a final image of hope.

Much like Hynkel, Napaloni is motivated by ego and a desire to project an image of strength and power. His main goal in the film is to outmaneuver and upstage Hynkel during their meeting.

Napaloni is the bombastic and boisterous dictator of Bacteria, a parody of Benito Mussolini. He serves as a comic foil to Hynkel, and their interactions are a satirical depiction of the fragile egos and power plays between dictators. He is a static character whose purpose is to further ridicule the nature of fascist leaders.