The Byronic The Byronic HeroHero

Michael StultzMichael Stultz

ENG 366 - ENG 366 - ConnollyConnolly

March 24, 2004March 24, 2004

George Gordon, Lord ByronGeorge Gordon, Lord Byron (1788-1824)(1788-1824)

• ““Mad—bad—and dangerous to Mad—bad—and dangerous to know” know”

• ““Think not I am what I appear” Think not I am what I appear” • “ “Like all myths, ‘Byron’ Like all myths, ‘Byron’

embodied contradictions more embodied contradictions more than he resolved them.”than he resolved them.”

• ““The magnetism of his person- The magnetism of his person- ality offset the cynicism [his ality offset the cynicism [his poetry] displayed.”poetry] displayed.”

Notorious…Condemned…Notorious…Condemned…Defiant…Defiant…Brooding…Melancholic…Brooding…Melancholic…Voracious… Voracious… • ““In solitude, where we In solitude, where we

are least alone.”are least alone.”• ““Let us have wine and Let us have wine and

women, mirth and women, mirth and laughter / Sermons and laughter / Sermons and soda-water the day soda-water the day after.”after.”

• ““There is something There is something Pagan in me that I Pagan in me that I cannot shake off. In cannot shake off. In short, I deny nothing, short, I deny nothing, but doubt everything.” but doubt everything.”

Myth of PrometheusMyth of Prometheus• Prometheus means “foresight” Prometheus means “foresight” • Father led the revolt against Father led the revolt against

Zeus and the godsZeus and the gods• was determined to bring fire, was determined to bring fire,

or “the spark of life,” to Man or “the spark of life,” to Man • wanted Man to have all the wanted Man to have all the

benefits and progress that fire benefits and progress that fire would bring. would bring.

• Zeus ordered Prometheus Zeus ordered Prometheus chained to a mountain rock.chained to a mountain rock.

• a great Eagle would eat his a great Eagle would eat his liver; the liver would grow liver; the liver would grow back every night.back every night.

Modern PrometheusModern Prometheus• ““The mind, the spirit, the The mind, the spirit, the

Promethean spark, the Promethean spark, the lightning of my being…”lightning of my being…”(from (from ManfredManfred))

• ““All that the Thunderer All that the Thunderer wrung from thee / Was wrung from thee / Was but the menace which but the menace which flung back / On him the flung back / On him the torments of thy rack;”torments of thy rack;”

• ““And Man in portions can And Man in portions can foresee / His own funereal foresee / His own funereal destiny / His destiny / His wretchedness and his wretchedness and his resistance.”resistance.”

John Milton’s Satanic HeroJohn Milton’s Satanic Hero• "Lucifer" means "light bearer." "Lucifer" means "light bearer." • Ungrateful for God’s blessingsUngrateful for God’s blessings• Unafraid of being put to death Unafraid of being put to death

or being damned eternallyor being damned eternally• His greatest flaw is prideHis greatest flaw is pride• Cast down from heaven, Cast down from heaven,

alienated from the godlyalienated from the godly• Deteriorates from a mighty Deteriorates from a mighty

fallen angel to a serpentfallen angel to a serpent• Unable to reconcile his eternal Unable to reconcile his eternal

punishmentpunishment• A picture of constant A picture of constant

intellectual activityintellectual activity

Napoleon Bonaparte, Canto Napoleon Bonaparte, Canto 3rd3rd

• ““One moment of the mightiest”One moment of the mightiest”• ““Extreme in all things”Extreme in all things”• ““For daring made thy rise as fall”For daring made thy rise as fall”• ““A god unto thyself”A god unto thyself”• ““deep pride / Is gall and deep pride / Is gall and

wormwood to an enemy”wormwood to an enemy”• ““He stood unbow’d”He stood unbow’d”• ““like a tower upon a headlong like a tower upon a headlong

rock / Thou hadst been made to rock / Thou hadst been made to stand or fall alone”stand or fall alone”

• ““there is a fire and motion which there is a fire and motion which will not dwell / In its own narrow will not dwell / In its own narrow being, but aspire / Beyond the being, but aspire / Beyond the fitting medium of desire.”fitting medium of desire.”

Byron’s ManfredByron’s Manfred

Manfred on the cliff

• What parallels are there between Manfred and Jesus and Frankenstein’s Monster?

• ““Serpent smile…brotherhood Serpent smile…brotherhood of Cain…thyself to be thy of Cain…thyself to be thy proper Hell…We, half dust, proper Hell…We, half dust, half diety, alike unfit to sink or half diety, alike unfit to sink or soar, with our mix’d essence soar, with our mix’d essence make a conflict of its make a conflict of its elements.”elements.”

• ““I know thee for a man of I know thee for a man of many thoughts and deeds of many thoughts and deeds of good and ill, extreme in both, good and ill, extreme in both, fatal and fated in thy fatal and fated in thy sufferings.”sufferings.”

• ““And with my knowledge grew And with my knowledge grew thirst of knowledge, and the thirst of knowledge, and the power and joy of this most power and joy of this most bright intelligence.”bright intelligence.”

The Byronic HeroThe Byronic Hero• unusually handsome, or inextricably unusually handsome, or inextricably

attractive, often to both sexes attractive, often to both sexes • wounded or physically, disabled in some wounded or physically, disabled in some

way way • moody, mysterious, and/or gloomy moody, mysterious, and/or gloomy • passionate (both in terms of sexuality and passionate (both in terms of sexuality and

deep emotions generally) deep emotions generally) • remorse laden (for some unnamed sin, a remorse laden (for some unnamed sin, a

hidden curse, or crime) hidden curse, or crime) • unrepentant (despite remorse) unrepentant (despite remorse) • persecuted by fatepersecuted by fate• self-reliant (often rejecting people on both self-reliant (often rejecting people on both

physical and emotional levels) physical and emotional levels)

The Byronic Hero (cont…)The Byronic Hero (cont…)

• is an admirable rebel (against convention, is an admirable rebel (against convention, society, religious doctrine) society, religious doctrine)

• has a distaste for society and social has a distaste for society and social institutions institutions

• is isolated (both physically and emotionally) is isolated (both physically and emotionally) from society (a wanderer, an exile) from society (a wanderer, an exile)

• is not impressed by rank and privilege is not impressed by rank and privilege (though he may possess it) (though he may possess it)

• is larger-than-life in his ability--and his pride is larger-than-life in his ability--and his pride • suffers gloriously from titanic passions  suffers gloriously from titanic passions  • tends to be self-destructive tends to be self-destructive

Coleridge’s “Satanic Coleridge’s “Satanic Pride…”Pride…”

• ““The Will become Satanic The Will become Satanic pride and rebellious self-pride and rebellious self-idolatry”idolatry”

• ““to find in itself alone one to find in itself alone one abso-lute motive of action…”abso-lute motive of action…”

• ““outward Restlessness and outward Restlessness and whirling Activity; Violence whirling Activity; Violence with guile; Temerity and with guile; Temerity and Cunning… Interminableness Cunning… Interminableness of Object with perfect of Object with perfect Indifference of Means.”Indifference of Means.”

• ““COMMANDING GENIUS!”COMMANDING GENIUS!”• Napoleon – “palliative Napoleon – “palliative

admiration”admiration”• ““Evil, be thou my good!”Evil, be thou my good!”

Caroline LambCaroline Lamb• …”…”the fires that goad him on the fires that goad him on

to his ruin, prevent his to his ruin, prevent his return.”return.”

• …”…”never pauses to reflect, or never pauses to reflect, or turns his eyes from the object turns his eyes from the object of his pursuit.”of his pursuit.”

• ““Glenarvon is the hell thou Glenarvon is the hell thou art to shun…Tell both priests art to shun…Tell both priests and parents…that one kiss and parents…that one kiss from the lips of those we from the lips of those we love, is dearer than every love, is dearer than every future hope.”future hope.”

• “…“…to follow after a false lightto follow after a false light—a man who is in love with —a man who is in love with crime and baseness…he hath crime and baseness…he hath an imagination of fire playing an imagination of fire playing around a heart of ice…a around a heart of ice…a hypocrite.”hypocrite.”

Mary ShelleyMary Shelley• ““One secret which I alone One secret which I alone

possessed was the hope to possessed was the hope to which I had dedicated myself.”which I had dedicated myself.”

• ““I seemed to have lost all soul I seemed to have lost all soul or sensation but for this one or sensation but for this one pursuit.”pursuit.”

• ““Like Adam, I was created Like Adam, I was created apparently united by no link to apparently united by no link to any other being in existence…”any other being in existence…”

• ““I was wretched, helpless, and I was wretched, helpless, and alone. Many times I considered alone. Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me.”envy rose within me.”

• ““Hateful day when I received Hateful day when I received life! …Cursed creator!”life! …Cursed creator!”

Frankenstein’s MonsterFrankenstein’s Monster• Hideous to all but the blindHideous to all but the blind• Abandoned and confusedAbandoned and confused• ““Solitary and detested”Solitary and detested”• ““God in pity made man God in pity made man

beautfiul and alluring, after his beautfiul and alluring, after his own image, but my form is a own image, but my form is a filthy type of your’s, more filthy type of your’s, more horrid from its very horrid from its very resemblance.”resemblance.”

• Seeks revenge against his Seeks revenge against his creator, Dr. Frankensteincreator, Dr. Frankenstein

• Can be sensitive and kind, Can be sensitive and kind, even eloquenteven eloquent

• Saves a girl from drowning, Saves a girl from drowning, but is blamed for her deathbut is blamed for her death

• Afraid of fire (film adaptations)Afraid of fire (film adaptations)• Suicidal, self-destructiveSuicidal, self-destructive

Monster vs. ManfredMonster vs. Manfred• High mountain peak (Monster takes his creator there)High mountain peak (Monster takes his creator there)

• Pastoral Scene (Monster encounters hunters who blame Pastoral Scene (Monster encounters hunters who blame him)him)

• The Promethean Spark (created Monster)The Promethean Spark (created Monster)

• Chamois Hunter vs. the Blind Man (“friend”)Chamois Hunter vs. the Blind Man (“friend”)

• Suicide Suicide

• Thirst of KnowledgeThirst of Knowledge

• Division of Mind and Body (Monster has a bourgeoning Division of Mind and Body (Monster has a bourgeoning intellect trapped in a hideous body)intellect trapped in a hideous body)

Robert Southey’s “Satanic Robert Southey’s “Satanic School”School”• ““English literature had been English literature had been

distinguished by its moral distinguished by its moral purity”purity”

• ““The poignancy of a death-bed The poignancy of a death-bed repentance cannot cancel one repentance cannot cancel one copy of the thousands which copy of the thousands which are sent abroad…”are sent abroad…”

• ““Men of diseased hearts and Men of diseased hearts and depraved imaginations…have depraved imaginations…have rebelled against the holiest of rebelled against the holiest of ordinances of human society…ordinances of human society…by infecting them with amoral by infecting them with amoral virus that eats into the soul.”virus that eats into the soul.”

• ““They are characterised by a They are characterised by a Satanic spirit of pride and Satanic spirit of pride and audacious impiety…”audacious impiety…”

John Polidori and the John Polidori and the VampyreVampyre

• Byron’s doctor and traveling Byron’s doctor and traveling companioncompanion

• Byron, Shelley, Mary W., and Byron, Shelley, Mary W., and Palidori: horror story contest at Palidori: horror story contest at Lake Geneva, 1816Lake Geneva, 1816

• Wrote Wrote The Vampyre The Vampyre based on the based on the exploits of Byron (attributed even exploits of Byron (attributed even its authorship)its authorship)

• Lord Ruthven: an attractive Lord Ruthven: an attractive aristocratic social animal, a sexual aristocratic social animal, a sexual predatorpredator

• Later versions (Bram Stoker’s Later versions (Bram Stoker’s DraculaDracula) based on this protagonist) based on this protagonist

John Polidori

But first on earth, as Vampyre sent,Thy corse shall from its tomb be rent;Then ghastly haunt thy native place,And suck the blood of all thy race;There from thy daughter, sister, wife,At midnight drain the stream of life;Yet loathe the banquet which perforceMust feed thy livid living corse . . . .

-- upon her neck and breast was blood, and upon her throat were the marks of teeth having opened the vein: -- to this the men pointed, crying, simultaneously struck with horror, "A Vampyre! a Vampyre!"

Vampire LegendVampire Legend• A man of titanic passions A man of titanic passions

(extreme love and cruelty)(extreme love and cruelty)• Pale skinPale skin• Hypnotic blood-red eyesHypnotic blood-red eyes• No Soul or reflection in No Soul or reflection in

mirrors (reflects the soul)mirrors (reflects the soul)• Transformation Transformation • Christianity a natural enemy Christianity a natural enemy

againstagainst• Candlelight, sunlight, or the Candlelight, sunlight, or the

light of Christ used to repel light of Christ used to repel themthem

• Sexual predator (visited Sexual predator (visited betrothed women at night)betrothed women at night)