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The byronic hero

George Gordon, Lord Byron. The byronic hero. George Gordon, Lord Byron. George Gordon, 6 th Lord Byron at age 10 an English writer during the 19 th c. at age 20 he earned his MA from Cambridge a prolific writer, most famous for Don Juan. Scandals.

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The byronic hero

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  1. George Gordon, Lord Byron The byronic hero

  2. George Gordon, Lord Byron • George Gordon, 6th Lord Byron at age 10 • an English writer during the 19th c. • at age 20 he earned his MA from Cambridge • a prolific writer, most famous for Don Juan

  3. Scandals... • father’s extravagant spending nearly brought his mother to ruin and she took her son to Aberdeen (Scottish countryside) • at age 7, he fell in love with his cousin • was the subject of sexual advances from his nurse when he was 11 • at age 12 he fell in love with another cousin • at age 14 he fell in love with another woman (Mary Chaworth) • was never a diligent student

  4. More Scandals... • had a falling out with a good friend as a result of sexual advances • lead a rebellion against the headmaster of his school • had to leave school because of extreme debt • dogs were prohibited so he kept a bear • at 20 he had no less than four mistresses • left England at 21 because of enormous debts

  5. And More Scandals... • at 24, he had a passionate affair with Lady Caroline Lamb, another poet of the day; she stalked him when it was over • at 25, he fell in love with his half sister • at 27, he married, had a daughter and named her after his half sister • at 31 he became cavalier servente (lover of a married woman), and loved her until his death

  6. The Byronic Hero • is a rebel against society • does not possess “heroic virtue” in the usual sense; instead, he has many dark qualities • has emotional and intellectual capacities superior to the average man; these heightened abilities force the Byronic hero to be arrogant, confident, as well as unusually sensitive and extremely self-conscious

  7. typically holds some sort of dark secret (e.g. Rochester, in Jane Eyre, hides his wife in the attic) • usually is isolated from society as a wanderer or is in exile of some kind (social separation can be imposed by either or both an external force or internal force) (e.g. Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights) • often moody and/or passionate about a particular issue • rejects societal morals, customs; as such, he is seen as unrepentant bysociety’s standards

  8. In Summary... The Byronic hero is often a figure of repulsion, as well as fascination. The oft-heard phrase, “beautiful, but damned” is an apt summation.

  9. Assignment: A Modern Day Example Task: Identify a modern day Byronic Hero. (Be original.) • Provide a photo or picture of your hero. • Provide your rationale via the traits listed (you will need at least five) and for each trait, discuss how your hero fits each trait (3-4 sentences per trait). • Be ready to present your person to the class; your write-up will be collected upon completion of presentation.

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