Perhaps the most significant element to be pulled from the vast amount of important and celebrated literature of the 19th century Poet Lord Byron is his contribution of the character he created known as the Byronic Hero. As Lord Byron's appellation, the Byronic hero is an important literary character, which proves useful when one attempts to understand and grasp the literary style that lord Byron wrote in, and the person that he was.The Byronic hero, who is first introduced in 1812 in the beginning stanzas of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, immediately conveys the message to the reader as that of a unique individual. "The Byronic hero exhibits several characteristic traits, and in many ways he can be considere ...view middle of the document...
His satanic acts and risky lifestyle contribute to this immensely. These attributes are often seen not only in Byron's work but in himself as well. As a young student, he often drank from a skull to impress friends. Byron was also regarded as a sinner, and was known for his outrageous social life, which had him frequently attending parties, and at many times cheating on his wife.This character might not seem to be a hero in any sense, however upon further examination one discovers a new kind of hero. One whose independence, freedom and need for escape can been admired by all. This element is often expressed through Lord Byron. In one of his most famous poems titled, Written after swimming from Sestos to Abydos, Byronic shows himself as one who is in search of adventure and one who has a need for risky behavior. This attribute of his work often expresses the characteristic of Byron, which portrayed him as being above the individual. His intellectual capacity is exhibited as being beyond that of the average man, rendering him arrogant and confident, as well as abnormally sensitive, and extremely conscious of himself. This often leads the "hero" to the point of rebellion, which is connected so often to Byron.In conclusion although the Byronic Hero may be contrasting he exhibits many important characteristics and qualities, which allow him to be considered a unique character. The Byronic hero's ability to grasp the rewards of individualism as well as the need to escape to a more challenging and worth wile place is somewhat admirable. The Byronic hero represents Byron in many ways and does a very good job of conveying Lord Byron's interpretation of the world.
