The Byronic Hero Mrs. Cumberland Objectives: 1. To study the concept of the “Byronic hero” and to show how it grew out of Byron’s own experiences 2. To recognize the recurrent nature of this character type

George Gordon, Lord Byron ( ) A stormy, sensitive, fiercely proud man He was the son of a spend thrifty army captain known as “mad Jack Byron.” His mother, an emotionally unstable woman, alternately pampered him and taunted him about his one physical imperfection- a clubfoot

Of noble birth, Byron nevertheless lived in near poverty until he reached an age of ten, when he inherited his great-uncle’s estate, Newstead Abbey This inheritance enabled him to attend Cambridge, where he gained a reputation as an accomplished athlete, especially in swimming and boxing

After graduating, he traveled throughout Europe and parts of Asia He recorded his impressions in a highly fictionalized account of his travels in the narrative poem, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage

After publication of the first two cantos of the work, Byron said, “I awoke one morning to find myself famous.”

Suddenly he was the darling of high society, invited to a dizzying array of social events, where he was often the center of attention Women flung themselves at him, and he usually didn’t turn them away

He foolishly married a very prim lady, then found himself embroiled in a scandalous divorce case His excesses were no longer winked at, and the society that had lionized him became his enemy

He left England, spending the rest of his years ins elf-imposed exile He wandered across Europe, writing bitter satirical verse aimed at the hypocrisy of the society that he had felt had betrayed him

His love for freedom ultimately led him to Greece, where he joined the cause of Greek independence from Turkey He became an officer in the Greek army, but, before he ever saw battle, died of a fever in a Greek army camp He was 36 years old

Byron’s poetic heroes are idealized portraits of himself They are mysterious, somewhat exotic creatures whose passionate intensity cute them off from others

They suffer from profound yearnings that re beyond the comprehension of lesser persons Aware of their superiority, these Byronic heroes are frequently aloof, sometime sullen

They show disdain for the petty regulations of society They are sometimes imprisoned or become voluntary exiles, living examples of the restless spirit of the Romantics

Video clips of Byronic Heroes James Dean in “Rebel without a cause” Clark Gable in “Gone with Wind” Humphrey Bogart in “Casablanca”

The Romantic Outsider Complete worksheet

Why are such character so appealing?

Byronic Hero: characteristics that were highly valued of ourselves Mysterious Arouse curiosity Sensitive inside Don’t care what others think of them Idealistic Nonconformists They revolt They’ve been hurt – Enhances attractiveness as romantic heroes

All such characters are examples of Byronic heroes and can be traced back to Lord Byron. Hazlitt once said, “He hath a demon!”: the Byronic hero does not have to perform great deeds.Unlike traditional heroes such as Beowulf or King Arthur, a Byronic hero does not personify the values of his society.

Resources 916/byron.html 916/byron.html – Contains artwork, poetry, film information etc.

Read: From Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage Canto 3: 15 Canto 3: 113 Canto 4: 137 From “Manfred” ( Act 3, 11, ) In what ways do the main characters present an image of the Byronic hero?