So, I'm reading the poetry of the "mad, bad, and dangerous" Lord Byron right at the moment, and it occurs to me that Stephenie Meyer may just be borrowing the infamous "Byronic hero" character for Twilight.
A Byronic hero, according to the Bloomsbury Guide to English Literature, is "glamorous, [and] haunted by the guilt of mysterious crimes, which he seeks to forget in violent and dangerous adventure" (p. 379). Well-known examples of this type are Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, Rochester from Jane Eyre, the actor James Dean, the singer Jim Morrison, and even Batman.
Does this sound like Edward Cullen to you?
No...The difference is, Edward doesn't DO anything with his guilt. Well, ok, he repeats high school about a thousand times, but that doesn't count. He doesn't punch Gotham's collective underground in the face, he isn't deep and interesting, or write cool lyrics or anything.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest complaints I have (mostly later) is that with all their powers the Cullens don't DO anything! (with the slight exception of Carlisle.) I like Byronic heroes because they usually go through a period of angst and then transmute that guilt and pain in to Sheer Badass. Like Batman. They often remain brooding characters and are still very angsty...but they ACT! And are Batman.
Well, since Meyers went to college to read (she said this herself, which reflects in her writing) and I do get the general possibility of Byronic hero because the framework is there. The framework for many things is there and for some reason I think "Twilight" would have been better if it went like "True Blood" and "Vampire Diary" (I've gotten two/three pages into the first book and I got bored to tears) and was a series because they could have added a lot of filler and actually shown Bella trying to jump Edward's bones at the end of "New Moon" but I digress . . . Well, actually that's the only comment I have . . .
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ReplyDeleteHahaha, yeah, saddest sub-plot is Bella begging Edward to give her some...I kept thinking "Dang, girl, have some self-respect!" but that would be WAY out of charater.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to add a note about my previous comment, Edward hasn't actually been through anything tragic...he whines like he has, but in actuallity he's more over-powered than Superman. Batman, Sturm Brightblade, Rochester, Himura freaking Kenshin, the Elric brothers...THESE people experienced tragedy. Edward is sad because he has immortality, super-powers and just found the love of his (un-ending) life.
*blank stare*
- Sarah Y.
Dan Zukovic's "DARK ARC", a gothic byronic modern noir dark comedy called "Absolutely brilliant...truly and completely different..." in Film Threat, was recently released on DVD and Netflix through Vanguard Cinema (http://www.vanguardcinema.com/darkarc/darkarc.htm), and is currently
ReplyDeletedebuting on Cable Video On Demand. The film had it's World Premiere at the Montreal Festival, and it's US Premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival. Featuring Sarah Strange ("White Noise"), Kurt Max Runte ("X-Men", "Battlestar Gallactica",) and Dan Zukovic (director and star of the cult comedy "The Last Big Thing"). Featuring the glam/punk tunes "Dark Fruition", "Ire and Angst" and "F.ByronFitzBaudelaire", and a dark orchestral score by Neil Burnett.
TRAILER : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPeG4EFZ4ZM
***** (Five stars) "Absolutely brilliant...truly and completely different...something you've never tasted
before..." Film Threat
"A black comedy about a very strange love triangle" Seattle Times
"Consistently stunning images...a bizarre blend of art, sex, and opium, "Dark Arc" plays like a candy-coloured
version of David Lynch. " IFC News
"Sarah Strange is as decadent as Angelina Jolie thinks she is...Don't see this movie sober!" Metroactive Movies
"Equal parts film noir intrigue, pop culture send-up, brain teaser and visual feast. " American Cinematheque