Byronic heroes

Noun

Byronic hero (plural Byronic heroes or Byronic heros)

1. A character type originating in the works of Lord Byron, typically characterized by introspection, arrogance, cynicism, emotional depth, and moral ambiguity; often alienated from society and at odds with conventional morality.
   • Childe Harold exemplifies the Byronic hero.

   Synonyms:

   Romantic hero

   Antonyms:

   classical hero

2. (broadly, literary trope) An archetype of a moody, brooding, rebellious, and self-destructive antihero found across later fiction and media, marked by intelligence, passion, and alienation from social norms.
   • Heathcliff, Edward Rochester, and Batman are often described as Byronic heroes.

   Synonyms:

   antihero

   Antonyms:

   ideal hero