Byronic

Byronic is a term used to describe the style and persona associated with the English Romantic poet George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (1788–1824). In addition to referring to Byron’s own poetry, the word characterizes a broader literary figure and mood that emerged from his work and reputation. The term's usage grew during the Romantic period and has endured in literary criticism.

Traits commonly attributed to the Byronic hero include aristocratic bearing, intellectual prowess, and physical attractiveness combined with emotional intensity and a rebellious or anti-social disposition. He is typically secretive, introspective, and sardonic, prone to cynicism about society, virtue, and institutions. Guilt or a troubled past often fuels his volatile passions, yet he remains magnetically compelling and capable of noble or compassionate action in rare moments.

Byron’s major poems frame this persona. Childe Harold's Pilgrimage presents a weary, world-weary wanderer who embodies disenchantment and detachment. Manfred features a tormented solitary figure seeking absolution through defiance. Don Juan, though satirical, preserves the Byronic tone of wit shadowed by moral complexity. She Walks in Beauty offers a more idealized glimpse of Byronian allure and mood.

The Byronic hero influenced later Romantic and Gothic fiction, contributing to the development of the anti-hero archetype. Characters such as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights are frequently discussed as precursors or exemplars of the Byronic type, while many later protagonists in fiction and film echo its themes of passion, guilt, and personal alienation.