Gothic Fiction Byronic Hero

Read: Watership Down

He stalks victims.
Inside, he is a vicious wolf.
Comes into woman’s bedroom when asleep.
Preys on young virgin women.
Victims are often asleep.
Travels at night, often alone.

Love vs. Lust
Sex vs. Rape
Love vs. Luv
Attention vs. Stalking
Emotion vs. Drama

Gothic FictionorGothic Horror
A combination of horror and romance

Terror (both psychological and physical)
Mystery
The supernatural
Ghosts
haunted houses and Gothic architecture
Castles
Darkness
Death
Decay
Doubles
Madness
Secrets
hereditary curses.

Tyrants
Villains
Bandits
Maniacs
Byronic heroes
Persecuted maidens
Femmes fatales
Madwomen
Magicians
Vampires
Werewolves
Monsters
Demons
Revenants
Ghosts
Perambulating skeletons
The Wandering Jew
The Devil himself.

Byronic Hero

George Gordon Byron,
a.k.a. Noel, 6th Baron Byron
a.k.a. Lord Byron
22 January 1788–19 April 1824

She Walks in Beauty
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that 's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Byronic Hero
The Byronic hero is an idealized but flawed character exemplified in the life and writings of Lord Byron.
Characterized by his ex-lover Lady Caroline Lamb as being "mad, bad and dangerous to know".

high level of intelligence and perception
Dr. Gregory House: House M.D.

cunning and able to adapt
Mr. Kurtz: Heart of Darkness

sophisticated and educated
Victor Frankenstein: Frankenstein

self-critical and introspective
Hamlet: Hamlet

mysterious, magnetic and charismatic
Aragorn: Lord of the Rights

struggling with integrity
Francis Macomber: Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber

power of seduction and sexual attraction
Don Juan: Don Juan

social and sexual dominance
James Bond: Ian Fleming’s James Bond

emotional conflicts, bipolar tendencies, or moodiness
Batman: The Dark Knight

a distaste for social institutions and norms
James Stark: Rebel Without a Cause

being an exile, an outcast, or an outlaw
Johnny: The Wild One

"dark" attributes not normally associated with a hero
Sawyer: Lost