Moody, Creative, Rebellious, Loving
Process Philosophy and the Byronic Hero
Lord Byron, public domain
She Walks in Beauty (from "Hebrew Melodies", 1815)
"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 mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies."
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage (Canto IV, Stanza 178)
"There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep Sea, and music in its roar:
I love not Man the less, but Nature more"
Moody, Creative, Rebellious, Loving
The Complexity of the Byronic Hero
Imagine someone who is intense, alienated, melancholy, restless, resentful, tormented, defiant, seductive, talented, creative, courageous, principled, and loving - all at the same time. Maybe it is a politician you know, or your next door neighbor, or a friend you work with. Maybe it is you.
This person has morally admirable qualities. He or she can stand against social convention in the name of a higher truth, whether liberty-for-all or the sustainable society or personal authenticity. And certain circumstances this person is capable of great love. Even tenderness. And yet the person is not a paragon of moral purity. There is a bit of the libertine in the person and a selfishness. He or she is not easy to get along with. Inside the person is a spirit of rebellion, a need to be against things and not just for things, even if things are going well. Life can never be easy when you are in the presence of this person, even if it happens to be yourself. Intense? Yes. But not easy.
Whitehead speaks of two qualities which make for beauty in life: harmony and intensity. The person I have in mind leans in the direction of intensity, sometimes at the expense of harmony, but perhaps in search of a unrealized harmony: a paradise lost or a paradise never found. And yet there is a beauty in the person's longing: a zest for life and a fidelity to ideals.
Origins of the Byronic Hero
The person I am describing partakes of what scholars of English literature call the Byronic Hero. The term originates from the English Romantic poet Lord (George Gordon) Byron, who lived from 1788 to 1824. One of the Romantic poets of that era, Byron's poetry featured protagonists who were complex, enigmatic figures who were heroic in a distinctive, morally ambiguous way. Indeed, Byron himself was known for his flamboyant lifestyle, scandalous affairs, and rebellious spirit, mirroring the traits of the Byronic hero. Among the many traits of the hero are, says one scholar, the following:
I suspect that we all know people who partake of these various qualities in a way we find both evocative, disturbing, and magnetic. What is beautiful about Byronic heroes is not they are happy or pillars of morality, but that they are complex and intense.
The Byronic hero defies simple-minded divisions of life into right and wrong, good and bad, righteousness and sin, virtue and vice. The morally laudable traits (courage, love, and standing on principle) are indeed admirable. But they are mixed in with the other traits (resentment, torment, and melancholy) that are more difficult to evaluate and in some ways less desirable. The Byronic hero lacks a kind of inner purity, a purity of heart, that is often valorized in religious circles.
And yet there is a kind of beauty in the impure heart, too. If, as Whitehead says, every moment of experience is an act of "the many becoming one," the various traits are part of the many that becomes one, and the one cannot exist without the many. Even as there may be something beautiful in the laudable traits separated from the whole, the wheat separated from the chaff; there is also something beautiful in the whole of it, the combination of traits. They come together in the person in what process philosophers call meaningful contrasts. There can be no beauty without the contrasts.
The Philosophical Underpinnings of Beauty and Contrast
In Whitehead's philosophy, the aim of the universe is beauty. The universe and God are two sides of one coin; God is the living unity of the universe, forever reaching for beauty. Beauty is not simply a quality of pleasant sunsets or memorable melodies; it is a subjective intensity, a richness of experience felt in the enjoyment of contrasts. These contrasts can exist between ideas, feelings, images, and relationships, including those between the self and society. They are harmonious, yet not necessarily in a pleasant sense; they include what the process philosopher Bernard Loomer termed "enriching tensions" - tensions that are irreconcilable but possess a richness in their irreconcilability. The beauty of the Byronic hero is in the tensions of the irreconcilable.
We live in a world where the ideal of perfect reconciliation, inner and outer, and perfect purity of heart, can itself be oppressive. One value of the Byronic hero, understood as an archetype, is that it gives us permission to be human, complex, impure, and conflicted - and to see a certain kind of beauty in the combination.
Not that anyone needs to be fully Byronic. There will always be within us the lure toward harmony, toward reconciliation, toward empathy. But the lure is also toward intensity, toward the embrace of differences, including differences within ourselves. There's no need for purity. Being human is enough. The Byronic hero is a creature of fiction. And yet there is something inside each of us that admires the hero, not for its perfection, but for its fallibility.
I cannot help but wonder if God doesn't admire it, too. At least the God who so loves the world that a son was sent to save it. This includes those of us who are trapped in ideals of perfection and purity. There is something beautiful about a God who enters into the way of all flesh, inviting humans to join God in seeing the whole of things, including all that is ambiguous and unreconciled, and then saying, in some deep and difficult to understand way: "It may not always be good, but it is beautiful."
- Jay McDaniel
The Complexity of the Byronic Hero
Imagine someone who is intense, alienated, melancholy, restless, resentful, tormented, defiant, seductive, talented, creative, courageous, principled, and loving - all at the same time. Maybe it is a politician you know, or your next door neighbor, or a friend you work with. Maybe it is you.
This person has morally admirable qualities. He or she can stand against social convention in the name of a higher truth, whether liberty-for-all or the sustainable society or personal authenticity. And certain circumstances this person is capable of great love. Even tenderness. And yet the person is not a paragon of moral purity. There is a bit of the libertine in the person and a selfishness. He or she is not easy to get along with. Inside the person is a spirit of rebellion, a need to be against things and not just for things, even if things are going well. Life can never be easy when you are in the presence of this person, even if it happens to be yourself. Intense? Yes. But not easy.
Whitehead speaks of two qualities which make for beauty in life: harmony and intensity. The person I have in mind leans in the direction of intensity, sometimes at the expense of harmony, but perhaps in search of a unrealized harmony: a paradise lost or a paradise never found. And yet there is a beauty in the person's longing: a zest for life and a fidelity to ideals.
Origins of the Byronic Hero
The person I am describing partakes of what scholars of English literature call the Byronic Hero. The term originates from the English Romantic poet Lord (George Gordon) Byron, who lived from 1788 to 1824. One of the Romantic poets of that era, Byron's poetry featured protagonists who were complex, enigmatic figures who were heroic in a distinctive, morally ambiguous way. Indeed, Byron himself was known for his flamboyant lifestyle, scandalous affairs, and rebellious spirit, mirroring the traits of the Byronic hero. Among the many traits of the hero are, says one scholar, the following:
- romantic melancholy,
- guilt for secret sin,
- pride,
- defiance,
- restlessness,
- alienation,
- revenge,
- remorse,
- moodiness,
- honor,
- altruism,
- courage
- pure love for a gentle woman.
I suspect that we all know people who partake of these various qualities in a way we find both evocative, disturbing, and magnetic. What is beautiful about Byronic heroes is not they are happy or pillars of morality, but that they are complex and intense.
The Byronic hero defies simple-minded divisions of life into right and wrong, good and bad, righteousness and sin, virtue and vice. The morally laudable traits (courage, love, and standing on principle) are indeed admirable. But they are mixed in with the other traits (resentment, torment, and melancholy) that are more difficult to evaluate and in some ways less desirable. The Byronic hero lacks a kind of inner purity, a purity of heart, that is often valorized in religious circles.
And yet there is a kind of beauty in the impure heart, too. If, as Whitehead says, every moment of experience is an act of "the many becoming one," the various traits are part of the many that becomes one, and the one cannot exist without the many. Even as there may be something beautiful in the laudable traits separated from the whole, the wheat separated from the chaff; there is also something beautiful in the whole of it, the combination of traits. They come together in the person in what process philosophers call meaningful contrasts. There can be no beauty without the contrasts.
The Philosophical Underpinnings of Beauty and Contrast
In Whitehead's philosophy, the aim of the universe is beauty. The universe and God are two sides of one coin; God is the living unity of the universe, forever reaching for beauty. Beauty is not simply a quality of pleasant sunsets or memorable melodies; it is a subjective intensity, a richness of experience felt in the enjoyment of contrasts. These contrasts can exist between ideas, feelings, images, and relationships, including those between the self and society. They are harmonious, yet not necessarily in a pleasant sense; they include what the process philosopher Bernard Loomer termed "enriching tensions" - tensions that are irreconcilable but possess a richness in their irreconcilability. The beauty of the Byronic hero is in the tensions of the irreconcilable.
We live in a world where the ideal of perfect reconciliation, inner and outer, and perfect purity of heart, can itself be oppressive. One value of the Byronic hero, understood as an archetype, is that it gives us permission to be human, complex, impure, and conflicted - and to see a certain kind of beauty in the combination.
Not that anyone needs to be fully Byronic. There will always be within us the lure toward harmony, toward reconciliation, toward empathy. But the lure is also toward intensity, toward the embrace of differences, including differences within ourselves. There's no need for purity. Being human is enough. The Byronic hero is a creature of fiction. And yet there is something inside each of us that admires the hero, not for its perfection, but for its fallibility.
I cannot help but wonder if God doesn't admire it, too. At least the God who so loves the world that a son was sent to save it. This includes those of us who are trapped in ideals of perfection and purity. There is something beautiful about a God who enters into the way of all flesh, inviting humans to join God in seeing the whole of things, including all that is ambiguous and unreconciled, and then saying, in some deep and difficult to understand way: "It may not always be good, but it is beautiful."
- Jay McDaniel
Byron's Early Poems: A Scholarly Discussion from London Review of Books
Byron’s early poems – his so-called ’dark tales’ – have been dismissed by critics as the tawdry, slapdash products of an uninteresting mind, and readers ever since have found it difficult not to see them in light of the poet’s dramatic and public later life. In a recent piece for the LRB, Clare Bucknell looked past the famous biography to observe the youthful Byron’s mind at work in poems such as The Giaour (1813), The Corsair (1814) and Lara (1814), where early versions of the Byronic hero were often characterised by passivity, rumination and choicelessness.
Clare discusses the piece with Tom, and talks about her new Close Readings series, On Satire, with Colin Burrow, which features Don Juan alongside works by Jane Austen, Laurence Sterne, John Donne, Muriel Spark and others.
Byron's Poetry: Sir Drummond Bone
Master of Balliol College, University of Oxford
Characteristics of the Byronic Hero
- Intelligence and Talent: They are usually highly intelligent and possess a wide range of talents or skills, often in areas such as poetry, music, or combat.
- Emotional Complexity: Byronic heroes are emotionally complex, often struggling with inner conflicts, guilt, or a sense of isolation.
- Rebelliousness: They tend to be rebellious against societal norms and conventions, often questioning authority and challenging the status quo.
- Dark Past or Secret: Byronic heroes typically have a dark past or a hidden secret that haunts them, contributing to their sense of inner turmoil.
- Charismatic and Seductive: Despite their flaws, Byronic heroes are often charismatic and possess a seductive charm that draws others to them.
- Isolation and Alienation: They often feel a sense of alienation or isolation from society, despite their outward charm and popularity.
- Self-Reflection: Byronic heroes are introspective and reflective, often contemplating their own actions and their place in the world.
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A Sample of Byronic Heroes in Film
- Tyler Durden from "Fight Club" (1999), portrayed by Brad Pitt: Tyler Durden is a charismatic and enigmatic figure who challenges societal norms and leads a clandestine underground movement. He embodies rebellion, charisma, and emotional complexity, drawing the protagonist into a world of chaos and self-discovery.
- Severus Snape from the "Harry Potter" series (2001-2011), portrayed by Alan Rickman: Snape is a complex and morally ambiguous character who struggles with inner conflicts and a secretive past. His intelligence, emotional depth, and enigmatic nature make him a compelling example of the Byronic hero in the realm of fantasy cinema.
- Erik, The Phantom from "The Phantom of the Opera" (2004), portrayed by Gerard Butler: The Phantom is a tormented and mysterious figure who lurks beneath the Paris Opera House, driven by his love for Christine and a desire for revenge. His isolation, emotional turmoil, and dark past align with the characteristics of the Byronic hero.
- Loki from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (2011-present), portrayed by Tom Hiddleston: Loki is a complex and multifaceted character, oscillating between heroism and villainy, driven by a deep-seated sense of insecurity and longing for acceptance. His intelligence, charm, and inner struggles make him a quintessential example of the Byronic hero archetype.
- Dorian Gray from "The Picture of Dorian Gray" adaptations (e.g., 1945, 2009), based on the novel by Oscar Wilde: Dorian Gray is a seductive and hedonistic character who remains eternally youthful while his portrait ages and bears the marks of his sins. His pursuit of pleasure, moral ambiguity, and internal conflicts embody the essence of the Byronic hero.
- Kylo Ren from the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy (2015-2019), portrayed by Adam Driver: Kylo Ren is a conflicted and emotionally volatile character torn between the light and dark sides of the Force. His inner turmoil, rebellion against his family's legacy, and quest for identity resonate with the traits of the Byronic hero.
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A Sample of Byronic Heroes
in English Literature
- Heathcliff from Emily Brontë's novel "Wuthering Heights": Heathcliff is one of the most iconic Byronic heroes in literature. He is brooding, passionate, and haunted by his troubled past. Despite his deep love for Catherine Earnshaw, his actions are often driven by revenge and a desire for power. Heathcliff's complex nature and magnetic presence make him a quintessential example of the Byronic hero.
- Mr. Rochester from Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre": Mr. Rochester is a mysterious and enigmatic character who embodies many traits of the Byronic hero. He is charismatic yet tormented, with a dark past that haunts him. Rochester's intense emotions and complex personality captivate the novel's protagonist, Jane Eyre, and readers alike.
- Captain Frederick Wentworth from Jane Austen's "Persuasion": Captain Wentworth is a less overt but still recognizable Byronic hero. He is intelligent, self-assured, and possesses a strong sense of independence. Wentworth's past love affair with Anne Elliot, the novel's protagonist, adds depth to his character, as he grapples with feelings of betrayal and resentment.
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from Robert Louis Stevenson's "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde": While not a traditional Byronic hero, the character of Dr. Jekyll embodies elements of the archetype, particularly in his alter ego, Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll is a respected scientist struggling with his darker impulses, which manifest in the form of Mr. Hyde. Hyde's reckless behavior and disregard for societal norms reflect the darker side of the Byronic hero persona.
- Sweeney Todd from various adaptations including the 1846 "The String of Pearls" penny dreadful and Stephen Sondheim's musical "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street": Sweeney Todd is a vengeful and tragic figure who fits the mold of the Byronic hero. Driven by a desire for revenge against those who wronged him, Todd is depicted as brooding and tormented. His descent into darkness and moral ambiguity aligns with the characteristics of the Byronic hero.
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