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In fiction, an antihero[1] (feminine: antiheroine) is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis. Some consider the word's meaning to be sufficiently broad as to additionally encompass the antagonist who (in contrast to the archetypal villain) elicits considerable sympathy and/or admiration. The term dates to 1714,[2] although literary criticism identifies the trope in earlier literature. [3]
History
There is no definitive moment when the antihero came into existence as a literary trope. The antihero has evolved over time, changing as society's conceptions of the hero changed, from the Elizabethan times of Faust and William Shakespeare's Falstaff, to the darker-themed Victorian literature of the 19th century, such as John Gay's The Beggar's Opera or as a timid, passive, indecisive man that contrasts sharply with other Greek heroes [4] to Philip Meadows Taylor's Confessions of a Thug. The Byronic hero also sets a literary precedent for the modern concept of antiheroism.
Distinction from Byronic and tragic heroes
The Byronic hero is a rebellious antihero who is sympathetic despite his rejection of virtue. [5]
Antiheroes differ from tragic heroes because a tragic hero is still usually primarily heroic but with a fatal flaw, while an antihero's flaws are often more prominent than their heroic qualities. Antiheroes are not doomed to a tragic end like the tragic hero, either.
Distinction from unlikely heroes
The traditional hero type is classically depicted to possess an image that is larger than life. They are generally expected to be more physically attractive, stronger, braver, more clever or charismatic than the average everyman. Unlikely heroes are simply characters who may not be conspicuously flawed, but simply ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances.
Contemporary literature
Modern-day heroes have enjoyed an increased moral complexity. Mid-20th century playwrights such as Samuel Beckett and Tom Stoppard showcased anti-heroic protagonists recognizable by their lack of identity and determination. Pulp fiction and noir detective stories of the mid-20th century saw characters such as Sam Spade, who lacked the glorious appeal of previous heroic figures, become popular. Influenced by the pulps, early comic books featured anti-heroic characters such as Batman (whose shadowy nature contrasted with their openly "heroic" peers like Superman) and Sub-Mariner (who would just as soon conquer humanity as try to save it).[6] Marvel's most prolific anti-hero is perhaps The Punisher, who is more than willing to kill those who he views as deserving of death. Sergio Leone's "spaghetti westerns" showcased a wandering vigilante (the "Man with No Name" played by Clint Eastwood) whose gruff demeanor clashed with other heroic characteristics.[citation needed].
Many modern antiheroes possess, or even encapsulate, the postmodern rejection of traditional values symptomatic of Modernist literature in general, as well as the disillusion felt after World War II and the Nuclear Age. The continuing popularity of the antihero in modern literature and popular culture may be based on the recognition that a person is fraught with human frailties, unlike the archetypes of the white-hatted cowboy and the noble warrior, and is therefore more accessible to readers and viewers. This popularity may also be symptomatic of the rejection by the avant-garde of traditional values after the counter-culture revolution of the 1960s.[7]
In the postmodern era, traditionally defined heroic qualities, akin to the classic "knight in shining armor" type, have given way to the "gritty truth" of life, and authority in general is being questioned. The brooding vigilante or "noble criminal" archetype, seen in characters like Batman, is slowly becoming part of the popular conception of heroic valor rather than being characteristics that are deemed un-heroic.[8]
For examples of Modern Antiheroes please see:
Mel Gibson's portrayal of Porter in the 1999 movie; Payback
Will Smith's portrayal of Hancock in the 2008 movie; Hancock
Both of these actors play characters who are not typical hero material. In Payback, Mel Gibson (the "Hero" of the movie) seeks revenge for an act of betrayal. In the process he resorts to kidnapping, stealing, intimidation, assault and the murder of his unarmed and helpless rival without hesitation. In Hancock, Will Smith portrays a more typical superhero (complete with super-strength and the ability to fly) who while trying to do 'Good' ends up doing more damage than the original situation would have inflicted. Meanwhile he faces his own internal struggles overcoming alcoholic tendencies and a bad attitude.
See also
Notes
- ^ Spelled as a single word, without hyphen, per Merriam-Webster Online; Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2006; and The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, 2000
- ^ Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition, 1994, p. 51, and Merriam-Webster Online
- ^ Specifically, Don Quixote in 1605: Carson Newman College Literary Terms and Encyclopedia Britannica
- ^ Haggar, Daley (1996). "Review of Infinite Jest". Harvard Advocate.
- ^ Dr. Wheeler, Literary Terms and Definitions website
- ^ Comics Should Be Good! » 365 Reasons to Love Comics #211
- ^ Erickson, Leslie (2004). "The Search for Self: Everyday Heroes and an Integral Re-Visioning of the Heroic Journey in Postmodern Literature and Popular Culture". Ph. D Dissertation University of Nebraska. .
- ^ Lawall G, (1966). "Apollonius' Argonautica. Jason as anti-hero". Yale Classical Studies 19: 119–169.
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