A Look at the Byronic HeroThrough Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage

Lord Byron introduced readers to the Byronic hero in his poem Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. While Lord Byron first denied that Childe Harold was based on his persona, those who knew Byron easily recognized the similarities. To be able to see the characteristics of a Byronic hero in a poem or story one must know the Byronic characteristics. A Byronic hero is normally seen in a male Romantic character and made famous by Lord Byron, who often had similarities to the characters in his poems. This Byronic character will have a combination of many characteristics and is usually considered a rebel. The character is unusually handsome to both the male and female gender alike. He has been wounded or disabled in some way, for example, Lord Byron had a clubfoot. His passions run deep, encompassing sexual, emotional, and intellectual depths, which are superior to the common man. There is often a guilty secret for which the Byronic hero feels remorse for; this secret is often related to som...