Shrek (character)

Shrek is a fictional character from the children's book Shrek! and the Shrek films. He is the main protagonist of both the book and the films. The name "Shrek" is derived from the German and Yiddish word "Schreck"/"Shreck", literally meaning "fear, terror."

Characteristics

Shrek is a large, green, physically intimidating ogre, with an accent described by Myers as "a Scottish accent guy living in Scarborough for forty years". Although his background is something of a mystery. Though surly and misanthropic, Shrek is peaceful and doesn't care to hurt anyone, but just wants to live his life in solitude and be left alone. Shrek is befriended by Donkey, an excitable, hyperactive, and talking donkey. It is notable that when Shrek is first seen he is successfully scaring off villagers by roaring at them, but it later becomes obvious that they were only attacking him because he is an ogre, not because he had done anything particularly wrong. In the first Shrek movie, during a conversation with Donkey, he laments that he is constantly judged by the outside world the minute people meet him, and is thus better off alone. This implies that he became a recluse after trying and failing to find acceptance among others. Another factor causing lack of acceptance can be found in Shrek the Third, it is revealed Shrek has a father who tried to eat him as Shrek stated, "I guess I should have seen it coming. He used to bathe me in barbecue...
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