The Byronic and Tragic Hero

Byronic Hero Character Traits A distaste for social institutions and norms An exile, an outcast, or an outlaw Arrogant Cunning and ability to adapt Cynical “Dark” attributes not normally associated with a hero Disrespectful of rank and privilege Emotionally conflicted, bipolar tendencies, or moodiness

Byronic Hero Character Traits High level of intelligence and perception Mysterious, magnetic, and charismatic Power of seduction and attraction Self-critical and introspective Self-destructive behavior Social and sexual dominance Sophisticated and well-educated Struggles with integrity Troubled past

Bad Boy Example #1 The Crow The Crow: Video Clip The Crow: Is a ghost who returns to avenge the death of his fiancée Lives by his own rules; resists authority figures Passionately grieves over his fiancée

Bad Boy Example #2 Vincent Valentine Character from Final Fantasy “A mystical many, stern and upright while at the same time dark and mysterious…” –Official Description Not just a “normal man” Wants the very thing he can’t have: Lucretia and is consumed with guilt for his past sin Video Clip

Bad Boy Example #3 Edward Cullen Has all of the following qualities: Superhuman powers Angst and guilt over tortured past Distain for humans Dark colors Moody Girls lust after him Guys consider him a “freak” He desires the one thing he can’t have Video Clip

Bad Boy Example # 4 & 5 The Covenant Video Clip Gone in 60 Seconds

Tragic Hero Character Traits Hero must suffer more than he deserves. Hero must be doomed from the start, but bear no responsibility for possessing his flaw. Hero must be noble in nature, but imperfect so that the audience can see themselves in him. Hero must have discovered his fate by his own actions, not by things happening to him. Hero must see and understand his doom, as well as the fact that his fate was discovered by his own actions.

Tragic Hero Character Traits Hero's story should arouse fear and empathy. Hero must be physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences, often resulting in his death. Ideally, the hero should be a king or leader of men, so that his people experience his fall with him. The hero must be intelligent so he may learn from his mistakes.

The tragic hero is… a character with a Fatal Flaw (like pride, for example) who is doomed to fail in search of their Tragic Dream (It's something that is not just out of reach, but that they are fundamentally incapable of achieving or receiving, and they are usually too emotionally damaged to realize this) despite their best efforts or good intentions.

Modern Tragic Hero Kratos-God of War He is never able to get over the trauma of killing his own family. It is his love for his family that prevents Kratos from becoming a complete monster, but at the same time, it's due to that love that Kratos is unable to get over his feelings of guilt and is slowly driven insane. Kratos starts working for the gods because they promise to free him from his nightmares, but as time goes on, it becomes apparent that: 1. the gods do not have the power to take away his guilt and 2. the gods only view him as a pawn.

Modern Tragic Hero Anakin Skywalker --Star Wars He was a hero of the Republic, got the girl, helped win the war, and saved his Master a number of times. His fatal flaw was the fear of losing those he cared about, which fed a hunger for power to prevent it from ever happening Eventually turned him into the ever-popular Black Knight Darth Vader.