Byronic hero

A theme that pervades much of Byron's work is that of the Byronic hero, an idealized but flawed character whose attributes may include:

• having conflicting emotions, bipolar tendencies, or moodiness
• self-critical and introspective
• struggles with integrity
• having a distaste for social institutions and social norms
• being an exile, an outcast, or an outlaw
• a lack of respect for rank and privilege
• having a troubled past
• being cynical, demanding, and/or arrogant
• often self-destructive
• troubles with sexual identity (but can be heterosexual, homosexual, or of repressed sexuality)

Not only is the character a frequent part of his work, Byron's own life could cast him as a Byronic hero. The literary history of the Byronic hero in English can be traced from Milton, especially Milton's interpretation of Lucifer as having justified complaint against God. One of Byron's most popular works in his lifetime, the closet play Manfred, was loosely modeled on Goethe's anti-hero, Faust. Byron's influence was manifested by many authors and artists of the Romantic movement during the 19th century and beyond. An example of such a hero is Heathcliff from Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights. Examples from science fiction television are the characters "The Doctor" from Doctor Who and "Kerr Avon" from Blake's 7.