Who is the main human protagonist of Philip Pullman’s fantasy novel Northern Lights?

The main human protagonist of Philip Pullman’s fantasy novel Northern Lights is Lyra Belacqua.

Published in 1995, Northern Lights begins Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. Lyra is a girl living at Jordan College in an Oxford of a parallel world. She becomes involved in a dangerous search after children begin disappearing and adults investigate a mysterious substance called Dust.

Lyra travels north with her dæmon, Pantalaimon, and encounters armoured bears, witches, scholars, and the powerful Mrs Coulter. Her curiosity, courage, and ability to interpret the alethiometer drive the plot. In the United States, the novel was published under the title The Golden Compass.

Will Parry becomes the major co-protagonist in the later books, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. Mary Malone is another important character, but she is not the central protagonist of Northern Lights. The novel’s title difference between British and American editions is a frequent source of confusion.