Byronic hero

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The Byronic hero made his literary debut with the publication of Byron's semi-autobiographical epic narrative poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. The Byronic hero, as portrayed here and in later works of literature, is an idealized but flawed character whose attributes include:

having conflicting emotions, bipolar tendencies, or moodiness
self-critical and introspective
struggles with integrity
having a distaste for social institutions and social norms
being an exile, an outcast, or an outlaw
a lack of respect for rank and privilege
having a troubled past
being cynical, demanding, and/or arrogant
often self-destructive
troubles with sexual identity (but can be heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, asexual, or of repressed sexuality)
loner, often rejected from society

However, even before Byron exemplified the character in his life and works, the literary predeccesors of the Byronic hero in English can be traced back to Milton, especially Milton's interpretation of Lucifer as having justified complaint against God. One of Byron's most popular works in his lifetime, the closet play Manfred, was loosely modeled on Goethe's anti-hero, Faust. Byron's influence was manifested by many authors and artists of the Romantic movement during the 19th century and beyond. An example of such a Romantic hero is Heathcliff from Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights. A 20th-century military example is Major T.E. Lawrence as portrayed by Peter O'Toole in the film Lawrence of Arabia. Examples from science fiction television are the characters The Doctor from Doctor Who, Shinji Ikari from Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Kerr Avon from Blake's 7. The Byronic hero is also featured in many different contemporary novels, and it is clear that Lord Byron's work continues to influence modern literature.

Byronic hero

See also