The literary archetype of the Byronic hero, first developed by the 19th-century English poet Lord Byron, is one of the most potent and relevant character archetypes in Western literature, art, and entertainment.

Definition

The archetype, or character type, of the Byronic hero was first developed by the famous 19th-century English Romantic poet Lord Byron. Most literary scholars and historians consider the first literary Byronic hero to be Byron's Childe Harold, the protagonist of Byron's epic poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. However, many literary scholars and historians also point to Lord Byron himself as the first truly Byronic hero, for he exemplified throughout his life the characteristics of the sort of literary hero he would make famous in his writing.

A Byronic hero can be conceptualized as an extreme variation of the Romantic hero archetype. Traditional Romantic heroes tend to be defined by their rejection or questioning of standard social conventions and norms of behavior, their alienation from larger society, their focus on the self as the center of existence, and their ability to inspire others to commit acts of good and kindness. Romantic heroes are not idealized heroes, but imperfect and often flawed individuals who, despite their sometimes less than savory personalities, often behave in a heroic manner.

According to many literary critics and biographers, Lord Byron developed the archetype of the Byronic hero in response to his boredom with traditional and Romantic heroic literary characters. Byron, according critics and biographers, wanted to introduce a heroic archetype that would be not only more appealing to readers but also more psychologically realistic.

The archetype of the Byronic hero is similar in many respects to the figure of the traditional Romantic hero. Both Romantic and Byronic heroes tend to rebel against conventional modes of behavior and thought and possess personalities that are not traditionally heroic. However, Byronic heroes usually have a greater degree of psychological and emotional complexity than traditional Romantic heroes.

Byronic heroes are marked not only by their outright rejection of traditional heroic virtues and values but also their remarkable intelligence and cunning, strong feelings of affection and hatred, impulsiveness, strong sensual desires, moodiness, cynicism, dark humor, and morbid sensibilities.

Byronic heroes also tend to appear larger than life, and dress and style themselves in elaborate costumes for the purpose of making themselves as different from others as possible.

Characteristics

Byronic heroes tend to be characterized as being:

  • Intelligent
  • Cunning
  • Ruthless
  • Arrogant
  • Depressive
  • Violent
  • Self-aware
  • Emotionally and intellectuallytortured
  • Traumatized
  • Highlyemotional
  • Manipulative
  • Self-serving
  • Spirituallydoubtful
  • Oftenreckless or suicidal
  • Prone toburstsof anger
  • Decidedly prone tosubstanceabuse
  • Dedicated to pursuing matters of justice over matters of legality
  • Giventoself-destructiveimpulses
  • Seductive and sexually-appealing

Byronic heroes also tend to only seem loyal to themselves and their core beliefs and values. While they often act on behalf of greater goods, they will rarely acknowledge doing so.

Examples

The archetype of the Byronic hero has remained popular and relevant throughout Western literature and entertainment since the early 19th century.

In 19th-century Western literature, there are countless examples of Byronic heroes, including the protagonists of nearly all of Byron's epic poems, particularly Manfred, Don Juan, and The Corsair. Other examples of Byronic Heroes from 19th-century Western literature include Heathcliff from Emily Bronte's novel Wuthering Heights, Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, Claude Frollo from Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Captain Ahab from Herman Melville's Moby Dick.

There are also countless examples of Byronic heroes in 20th-century Western literature, including the Phantom from Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera, Jake Barnes from Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises, Ian Fleming's James Bond character, and F. Scott Fitzgerald's Jay Gatsby from his novel The Great Gatsby. All of these Byronic heroes are marked by a dark sensibility, cynicism, arrogance, high intelligence, and a refusal to outright obey authority.

We can even find countless examples of Byronic heroes in contemporary popular culture, including Dr. Gregory House from the TV show House, Han Solo from the Star Wars movies, Sherlock Holmes (as depicted in various films and television shows), and many other television, film, and comic book heroes. These sorts of heroes tend not to embody typical heroic traits and attitudes but actually subvert them. Contemporary Byronic heroes are often larger-than-life figures who accomplish seemingly impossible actions but remain grounded in self-doubt and self-awareness. Byronic heroes tend to be vulnerable, imperfect heroes who we, as readers and viewers, can more easily identify with than traditional, epic heroes who might seem unrealistic and dull.

Why Is This Important?

Think about some of the most popular and interesting characters in not just literature but also film and television. Do you ever notice how often we find ourselves interested in and intrigued by heroes who are imperfect, tortured, and arrogant, sometimes more so than heroes who are presented as being perfect and idealized?

The two stanzas belong to the third Canto of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage,written in 1816.Byron was forced to leave England disappointed with the society who had rejected him after the rumours of his affair with his half-sister Augusta Leigh.They contain bitter meditations on the human condition. The poet says that he despises the world because it is full of hypocrisy: “I have not flatteredits rank breath….. nor coined my cheek to smiles”. He talks of his solitude in a world he doesn’t like: “I have not loved the world nor the world me”. He is an independent soul in opposition to the world:”in the crowd/They could not deem me one of such; I stood/Among them, but not of them”. He challenges it, just as the Byronic hero does. The two stanzas start with the same line but they develop differently. The first stanza refers to the past; the verbs have got a negative connotation and the tone is pessimistic. The negations are positive for the poet because they become a reason of pride.The second stanza refers to the present and the future; there is a moderate optimism that a society may exist without hypocrisy, a society where “there may be Words which are things”, that is words that have the same consistency as concrete things have, “where two or one are almost what they seem/ and goodness is no name and happiness no dream”. The poet is disillusioned but confident and hopeful.

“I Have Not Loved the World”

(from Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, stanzas 113-114)

I have not loved the world, nor the world me;

I have not flatter’dits rank breath, nor bow’d

To its idolatries a patient knee, —

Nor coin’d my cheek to smiles, — nor cried aloud

In worship of an echo; in the crowd

They could not deem me one of such; I stood

Among them, but not of them; in a shroud

Of thoughts which were not their thoughts, and still could,

Had I not filed my mind, which thus itself subdued.

I have not loved the world, nor the world me, —

But let us part fair foes; I do believe,

Though I have found them not, that there may be

Words which are things, — hopes which will not deceive,

And virtues which are merciful, nor weave

Snares for the failing: I would also deem

O’er others’ griefs that some sincerely grieve;

That two, or one, are almost what they seem, —

That goodness is no name, and happiness no dream.

Non ho amatoil mondo,né il mondo me;

Non ho adulatoil suodisgustosorespiro,né piegato

Un ginocchiopazienteallesue idolatrie,

Né forgiatola mia guanciaai sorrisi,né piantoa gran voce

In adorazionedi un eco; nellafolla

Non mi si potevaconsiderareunodi loro;stavo

Fra loro ma senza esserlo; in un cortina

Di pensieriche non eranoi loro pensieri, e tuttaviapotevo,

Se non avessiaddomesticatola mia mentecosìda sottometterla.

Non ho amatoil mondo,né il mondo me;

Ma separiamocida lealinemici; io credo,

Sebbenenon le abbiatrovate, che ci possanoessere

Parole che sianocose,speranzeche non ingannino,

E virtùche sianomisericordiose, e che non tessano

Trappoleper chi sbaglia; credo ancheche

Alcuniprovinosinceramentedoloreper idolorideglialtri;

Che due o unosianoquasi ciòche sembrano,

Che la bontànon siaun nome e la felicitànon siaun sogno.