The Romantic hero is a literary archetype referring to a character that rejects established norms and conventions, has been rejected by society, and has the self as the center of his or her own existence.[1] The Romantic hero is often the protagonist in the literary work and there is a primary focus on the character's thoughts rather than his or her actions. Literary critic Northrop Frye noted that the Romantic hero is often "placed outside the structure of civilization and therefore represents the force of physical nature, amoral or ruthless, yet with a sense of power, and often leadership, that society has impoverished itself by rejecting".[1] Other characteristics of the romantic hero include introspection, the triumph of the individual over the "restraints of theological and social conventions"[1], wanderlust, melancholy, misanthropy, alienation, and isolation.[2] However, another common trait of the Romantic hero is regret for his actions, and self-criticism, often leading to philanthropy, which stops the character from ending romantically. An example of this trait is Edmond Dantes in The Count of Monte Cristo. The Romantic hero first began appearing in literature during the Romantic period, in works by such authors as Byron, Percy Shelley, and Goethe, and is seen in part as a response to the French Revolution. As Napoleon, the "living model of a hero"[3], became a disappointment to many, the typical notion of the hero as upholding social order began to be challenged. Classic literary examples of the romantic hero include Gwynplaine from Hugo's The Man who Laughs, Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, Byron's Don Juan, Chateaubriand's René[4], Tolstoy's Andrei Bolkonsky from War and Peace, and Cooper's "Hawkeye" (Natty Bumppo) from The Leatherstocking Tales.
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See also[]
- Romanticism
- Tragic flaw
- Anti-hero
- List of fictional anti-heroes
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wilson, James D. (Winter, 1972). "Tirso, hat, and Byron: The emergence of Don Juan as romantic hero". The South Central Bulletin (The Johns Hopkins University Press on behalf of The South Central Modern Language Association) 32 (4): 246–248. ISSN 0038321X. http://www.jstor.org/stable/i359767. Retrieved October 27, 2009.
- ↑ Knapp, Bettina L. (April 1986). "Review: The Romantic hero and his heirs in French literature". The French Review (American Association of Teachers of French) 59 (5): 787–788. ISSN 0016111X. http://www.jstor.org/stable/i216560. Retrieved October 27, 2009.
- ↑ Furst, Lilian R. (Spring 1976). "The romantic hero, or is he an anti-hero?". Studies in the Literary Imagination 9 (1): 53–67.
- ↑ Reed, Walter L. (1974). Meditations on the hero: A study of the romantic hero in nineteenth-century fiction. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-8357-9384-2.
Trope conventions, stock characters and character archetypes | ||
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Stereotypes | By creed, ethic, and morality | Heroes (Legacy hero • Christ figure • Superhero • Romantic hero • Epic hero • Reluctant hero • Contender • Antihero • Byronic hero • Tragic hero) • Everyman • Folk hero • Ivan the Fool • Mythological king • Youngest son • Rogues (Lovable rogue • Jack) • Trickster (Tricky slave • Harlequin • Zanni) • Outlaw (Bad boy • Gentleman thief • Pirate • Bounty hunter • Gentleman detective • Vigilante • Homo sacer • Outcast • Rake • Villains (Anti-villain • False hero • Well-intentioned extremist) • The mole • Double agent • Evil twin • Social Darwinist • Dark Lord • Supervillain (Complete monster) • Evil clown • Killer toys • Zombies • Alazon • Archenemy • Big Bad • Bug-eyed monster • Igor • Masked Mystery Villain |
By sex, gender, and orientation | Feminine/(females) (Beautiful Columbina • Bishojo • Catgirl • Girl next door • Hooker with a heart of gold • Ingenue • Manic Pixie Dream Girl • Nubile (Yamato nadeshiko) • English Rose • Gibson Girl • Good Wife, Wise Mother • Mary Sue • María Clara • Yummy mummy • Hag • Clan Mother • Crone • Fairy godmother • La Ruffiana • Loathly lady • Jewish mother • Hawksian woman • Dark Lady • Femme fatale • Flapper • Pachuca • Tomboy • Tsundere • Woman warrior (Amazons • Jungle Girl • Valkyrie) • Queen bee (Jewish-American princess • Princesse lointaine • Southern belle • Valley girl) • LGBT (Butch and femme • Bimbo • Class S • Drag king • Futanari • Laotong • Lipstick lesbian) • Mistress • Lady-in-waiting • Courtesan • Handmaiden • Magical girlfriend • Mammy archetype • Nurse stereotypes • Geek girl (Cat lady • Meganekko • Nerd) • Damsel in distress (Final girl • Princess and dragon)) • Masculine/(males) (Handsome Harlequin • Pierrot • Puer aeternus • Wise old man (Elderly martial arts master) • Magical Negro • Playboy (Beefcake • Boy next door • Jock) • Superfluous man (Nice guy • Nice Jewish boy • Nerd) • Prince Charming • Knight-errant • Noble savage (Caveman • Mountain man) • LGBT (Bishonen • Drag queen • Effeminate • Molly • Sissy) • Metrosexual (Macaroni • Dandy) • Bad boy (Pachuco • Greaser) | |
By career, occupation, and profession | Donor / mentor (Elderly martial arts master • Fairy godmother • Wise old man) • Scientists (Absent-minded professor • Artist-scientist • Boffin • Mad scientist • Nerd • Professor) • Clowns (Auguste clown • Clown blanc • Evil clown • Harlequin • Petrushka • Pierrot • Trickster) • Knights (Black knight • Knight-errant • Youxia • Paladin) • Cannon fodder (Mook • Redshirt • Stormtrooper) • [Action hero]] (Gunfighter • Space marine • Superspy • Supersoldier • Swashbuckler) • Magic-users (Sorcerer • Warlock • Witch • Wizard) • Hotshot • Jewish lawyer • Yokel | |
By popular culture, ethnicity, and nationality | American | Black brute • Blonde stereotype • Cheerleader • Jock • Nerd • Hollywood Cowboy • Hollywood Indian • Pachuco • Magical Negro • Redneck • Ugly American |
European | Knight • Stage Irish • Swashbuckler | |
Asian | Ninja • Samurai • Wuxia • Kankō Ainu | |
Unseen character and others | Grotesque • Deadpan snarker • Killbot • Little green men • Lovers • Miser • Shoulder angel • Space Nazis • Space pirate • Swamp monster • Town bully • Town drunk • Vampire detective | |
By lists, portrayals and formats | Stock characters •female (games • comics) • in LGBT fiction • in military fiction • in science fiction |