Antihero
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In fiction, an antihero[1] is a protagonist whose character and goals are antithetical to classical heroism.
The term dates to 1714.[2]
History
There is no definitive moment when the antihero came into existence as a literary trope. Apollonius of Rhodes' Argonautivolume=Fall 96}}</ref> The antihero has evolved over time, changing as society's conceptions of the hero changed, from the Elizabethan times of [[ca portrays [[Jason]The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus|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
... But Katie Is clearly the coolest person ever! Unlike Tyler who just wishes he was half as cool as her!!!.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). 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. It has been argued that 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.[3]
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.[4]
See also
- Antagonist
- Byronic hero
- Tragic flaw
- List of fictional anti-heroes
- Tragic hero
- Tweener, a similar type of character in professional wrestling
- Vigilante
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
- ^ 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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