Byronic Hero In Frankenstein - 1563 Words

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a critique of the Byronic hero, as exemplified in Lord Byron’s â€Å"Manfred.† The Byronic hero is a protagonist who has the following traits: self-inflicted agony, a high self esteem, isolation from society, an exaggerated sense of independence, and genuine guilt. All of these traits Manfred bears, but Victor lacks two of these attributes. The lead protagonists, Victor and Manfred, have two key differences: genuine remorse and independence. Victor’s guilt is false when compared with that of Manfred. Victor relinquishes some of his autonomy to the monster in Frankenstein, in contrast to Manfred’s steadfast hold of complete self government. These differences, seen in Victor’s personality amount to a critique of†¦show more content†¦Lastly, a Byronic hero has genuine guilt. This requires more action than contemplating, and continuously reiterating that a tragedy by his hand occurred. Manfred possesses al l of these traits; however, Victor lacks true remorse and retention of his independence. Manfred’s guilt can be perceived as genuine because of three actions he takes in the play. He verbally takes responsibility for being the cause, he seeks a solution, and he asks Astarte, the one he’s wronged, for forgiveness directly. â€Å"My wrongs were all on those I should’ve cherished—But my embrace was fatal† (II, 87-88). In this line, Manfred voices responsibility for the actions that took place to the Chamois Hunter, confirming his feelings. In the play, Manfred seeks out three sources in the hopes of alleviating his suffering: the seven spirits, the Witch and Arimanes, to whom Manfred requests the summoning of deceased Astarte (II, 79-80). His plea for forgiveness comes during his time with Astarte’s spirit. â€Å"Yet one word more--am I forgiven?† (III, 152). The act of asking for forgiveness is the purest way to express true remorse and regret to those who have been wronged, and this differentiates Manfred from Victor the mo st. His seeking forgiveness also validates Manfred’s love for Astarte is a concept that Victor may not be able to grasp. Victor expresses the misery he feels regarding his actions in relation to the monster with zeal, but his remorse proves to be false when viewed withShow MoreRelatedFrankenstein Byronic Hero Analysis1070 Words   |  5 Pages The Byronic hero as presented in Lord Byron’s â€Å"Manfred,† is a protagonist who has traits, including: a troubled background, high self esteem, isolation from society, an exaggerated sense of independence, and genuine guilt. All of these traits Manfred bears, and Victor shares in a differing form. The differences between Manfred and Victor begin with their feelings of guilt and continue through the amount of control they give up over themselves. 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