The Byronic Hero was first published in 1962.This study of the origins and development of the Romantic hero through its apogee in the works of Byron critically examines the major Romantic heroes of comparative literature and places them in the wider perspective of history.Professor Thorslev devotes the first part of his discussion to the cultural origins and “family relationships” of a range of pre-Romantic and Romantic hero types, and to analyses of those aspects of the spirit of the times which each hero symbolizes. He shows that these forebears of the Byronic Hero -- the Child of Nature roaming the forests of Wales or the Highlands of Scotland, the Gloomy Egoist celebrating death and worms and charnel houses, the Man of Feeling expiring from a surfeit of emotion, the Gothic Villain-Hero exuding mystery, violence, and tenderness -- are largely English products of eighteenth-century sentiment and Gothicism. The more distinctly Romantic types -- the Hero of Sensibility feasting his soul and longing for its dissolution, the Noble Outlaw defying society, Faust the seeker, Cain the metaphysical rebel, the death-seeking Wandering Jew, Satan, and the fiery Prometheus -- are traced from their first appearance in the German Sturm und Drang to their composite reincarnation in the works of Byron. As the culmination of this last heroic tradition in Western literature, the Byronic Hero is significantly related to the later cult of hero-worship and to various philosophies of rebellion, from Nietzsche to Camus.An appendix contains a selective, annotated bibliography of secondary studies of each of the hero types discussed in the text. The book will be of particular interest to those studying or teaching English or comparative literature or the history of ideas.

About the Author

Peter L. Thorslev, Jr. is Professor Emeritus of English at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Edward Bowditch Ltd
Exstowe, Exton, Exeter, EX3 0PP, United Kingdom

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

Legal entity name: Edward Bowditch Ltd
Legal entity form: Limited company
Business correspondence address: Exstowe, Exton, Exeter, EX3 0PP
Company registration number: 04916632
VAT registration: GB834241546
Authorised representative: Mr. E. Bowditch

Shipping Terms

Orders usually dispatched within two working days. Please note that at this time all domestic United Kingdom orders are sent by trackable UPS courier, we choose not to offer a lower cost alternative.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Order quantity	7 to 14 business days	2 to 3 business days
First item	US$ 16.80	US$ 33.60

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.