Abstract:
Throughout the years, the literary canon has introduced many characters who
have captivated the reader with their acts of heroism. One such character from the
nineteenth century is the Byronic hero. Having been created during a transition period
in George Gordon Byron’s literary career, the Byronic hero pattern has taken a very
special place in literature, and it has influenced many other writers from different eras.
This study takes special interest in how the Byronic hero is interpreted in the
Postmodern era to examine the evolution of this heroic concept. Accordingly, this
thesis analyses Randle McMurphy from Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s
Nest and Tyler Durden from Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club as postmodern Byronic
heroes and emphasizes their contributions to Byron’s heroic tradition in their own
distinct ways. These characters are demonstrated as great examples for the postmodern
Byronic hero depending on their leadership disposition, great diligence to defend their
personal freedom against the authority figures, and rejection to be deemed as role
models. Since Byron’s heroes are typically known for their refusal to comply with the
authority figures, the actions of the postmodern Byronic heroes are further analyzed
through the guidance of the critical theories of Michel Foucault and Friedrich
Nietzsche, concerning power, knowledge, truth and self-mastery. At the end of the
thesis, it is deduced that while many of the key characteristics of the Byronic hero have
been preserved for years, the postmodern Byronic heroes have inevitably gone through
an evolution in terms of character formation. Reflecting the significant political issues
of their own times, the postmodern Byronic heroes are made to believe that they might
be the savior of other people, which gradually gives them fascist tendencies. Finally,
it is concluded that despite all the adverse characteristics of the Byronic hero, the
reader sympathizes with him as his rebellion against delimiting authority figures
provide a satisfactory experience for the reader.
