Antihero - Wikipedia Antihero From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search Leading character in a film, book or play, who is devoid of heroic qualities For other uses, see Antihero (disambiguation). Revisionist Western films commonly feature antiheroes as lead characters whose actions are morally ambiguous. Clint Eastwood, pictured here in A Fistful of Dollars (1964), portrayed the archetypal antihero called the "Man with No Name" in Dollars Trilogy. An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero)[1] or antiheroine is a main character in a story who lacks conventional heroic qualities and attributes such as idealism, courage, and morality.[1][2][3][4][5] Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actions that are morally correct, it is not always for the right reasons, often acting primarily out of self-interest or in ways that defy conventional ethical codes.[6] Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External links History[edit] This section is missing information about the history of antiheroes in comic books. Please expand the section to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page. (February 2015) U.S. writer Jack Kerouac and other figures of the "Beat Generation" created reflective, critical protagonists who influenced the antiheroes of many later works An early antihero is Homer's Thersites.[7]:197–198 The concept has also been identified in classical Greek drama,[8] Roman satire, and Renaissance literature[7]:197–198 such as Don Quixote[8][9] and the picaresque rogue.[10] The term antihero was first used as early as 1714,[5] emerging in works such as Rameau's Nephew in the 18th century,[7]:199–200 and is also used more broadly to cover Byronic heroes as well, created by the English poet Lord Byron.[11] Literary Romanticism in the 19th century helped popularize new forms of the antihero,[12][13] such as the Gothic double.[14] The antihero eventually became an established form of social criticism, a phenomenon often associated with the unnamed protagonist in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Notes from Underground.[7]:201–207 The antihero emerged as a foil to the traditional hero archetype, a process that Northrop Frye called the fictional "center of gravity".[15] This movement indicated a literary change in heroic ethos from feudal aristocrat to urban democrat, as was the shift from epic to ironic narratives.[15] Huckleberry Finn (1884) has been called "the first antihero in the American nursery".[16] Charlotte Mullen of Somerville and Ross' The Real Charlotte (1894) has been described as an antiheroine.[17][18][19] The antihero became prominent in early 20th century existentialist works such as Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis (1915),[20] Jean-Paul Sartre's La Nausée (1938) (French for 'Nausea'),[21] and Albert Camus' L'Étranger (1942) (French for 'The Stranger').[22] The protagonist in these works is an indecisive central character who drifts through his life and is marked by ennui, angst, and alienation.[23][ISBN missing] The antihero entered American literature in the 1950s and up to the mid-1960s as an alienated figure, unable to communicate.[24]:294–295 The American antihero of the 1950s and 1960s (as seen in the works of Jack Kerouac, Norman Mailer, et al.) was typically more proactive than his French counterpart, with characters such as Kerouac's Dean Moriarty famously taking to the road to vanquish his ennui.[25]:18 The British version of the antihero emerged in the works of the "angry young men" of the 1950s.[8][26] The collective protests of Sixties counterculture saw the solitary antihero gradually eclipsed from fictional prominence,[25]:1 though not without subsequent revivals in literary and cinematic form.[24]:295 The antihero also plays a prominent role in films noir such as Double Indemnity (1944) and Night and the City (1950),[27] in gangster films such as The Godfather (1972),[28] and in Western films, especially the Revisionist Western and Spaghetti Western.[citation needed] Lead figures in these westerns are often morally ambiguous,[citation needed] such as the "Man with No Name", portrayed by Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966).[citation needed] In the early 21st century Golden Age of Television, antiheroic or morally ambiguous protagonists are prominent in series such as The Sopranos (1999–2007), The Shield (2002–2008), Dexter (2006-2013), Mad Men (2007–2015), Breaking Bad (2008–2013), Game of Thrones (2011–2019), and House of Cards (2013-2018).[citation needed] See also[edit] Literature portal Anti-fairy tale Anti-novel False protagonist List of fictional antiheroes Sympathetic villain References[edit] ^ a b "Anti-Hero". Lexico. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 26 September 2020. ^ "antihero". American Heritage Dictionary. 9 January 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013. ^ "anti-hero". Macmillan Dictionary. Retrieved 4 October 2013. ^ "Antiheroine". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2013. ^ a b "Antihero". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2013. ^ Laham, Nicholas (2009). Currents of Comedy on the American Screen: How Film and Television Deliver Different Laughs for Changing Times. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co. p. 51. ISBN 9780786442645. ^ a b c d Steiner, George (2013). Tolstoy Or Dostoevsky: An Essay in the Old Criticism. New York: Open Road. ISBN 9781480411913. ^ a b c "antihero". Encyclopædia Britannica. 14 February 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2014. ^ Wheeler, L. Lip. "Literary Terms and Definitions A". Dr. Wheeler's Website. Carson-Newman University. Retrieved 3 October 2013. ^ Halliwell, Martin (2007). American Culture in the 1950s. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. p. 60. ISBN 9780748618859. ^ Wheeler, L. Lip. "Literary Terms and Definitions B". Dr. Wheeler's Website. Carson-Newman University. Retrieved 6 September 2014. ^ Alsen, Eberhard (2014). The New Romanticism: A Collection of Critical Essays. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. p. 72. ISBN 9781317776000. Retrieved 20 April 2015. ^ Simmons, David (2008). The Anti-Hero in the American Novel: From Joseph Heller to Kurt Vonnegut (1st ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 5. ISBN 9780230612525. Retrieved 20 April 2015. ^ Lutz, Deborah (2006). The Dangerous Lover: Gothic Villains, Byronism, and the Nineteenth-century Seduction Narrative. Columbus: Ohio State University Press. p. 82. ISBN 9780814210345. Retrieved 20 April 2015. ^ a b Frye, Northrop (2002). Anatomy of Criticism. London: Penguin. p. 34. ISBN 9780141187099. ^ Hearn, Michael Patrick (2001). The Annotated Huckleberry Finn: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Tom Sawyer's Comrade) (1st ed.). New York: Norton. p. xvci. ISBN 0393020398. ^ Ehnenn, Jill R. (2008). Women's Literary Collaboration, Queerness, and Late-Victorian Culture. Ashgate Publishing. p. 159. ISBN 9780754652946. Retrieved 7 April 2020. ^ Cooke, Rachel (27 February 2011). "The 10 best Neglected literary classics - in pictures". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 April 2020. ^ Woodcock, George (1 April 1983). Twentieth Century Fiction. Macmillan Publishers Ltd. p. 628. ISBN 9781349170661. Retrieved 7 April 2020. ^ Barnhart, Joe E. (2005). Dostoevsky's Polyphonic Talent. Lanham: University Press of America. p. 151. ISBN 9780761830979. ^ Asong, Linus T. (2012). Psychological Constructs and the Craft of African Fiction of Yesteryears: Six Studies. Mankon: Langaa Research & Publishing CIG. p. 76. ISBN 9789956727667. ^ Gargett, Graham (2004). Heroism and Passion in Literature: Studies in Honour of Moya Longstaffe. Amsterdam: Rodopi. p. 198. ISBN 9789042016927. ^ Brereton, Geoffery (1968). A Short History of French Literature. Penguin Books. pp. 254–255. ^ a b Hardt, Michael; Weeks, Kathi (2000). The Jameson Reader (Reprint ed.). Oxford, UK ; Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell. ISBN 9780631202707. ^ a b Edelstein, Alan (1996). Everybody is Sitting on the Curb: How and why America's Heroes Disappeared. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger. ISBN 9780275953645. ^ Ousby, Ian (1996). The Cambridge Paperback Guide to Literature in English. New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 27. ISBN 9780521436274. ^ Eggert, Brian (30 August 2015). "Night and the City". Deep Focus Review. Retrieved 20 June 2018. ^ Brinton, Sadie (September 2008). "Classic Ten – Greatest Anti-Heroes". AMC. Retrieved 11 September 2016. Further reading[edit] Simmons, David (2008). The Anti-Hero in the American Novel: From Heller to Vonnegut. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0230603233. External links[edit] Look up antihero in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Character Analysis v t e Comics Glossary of comics terminology Formats Comic book Ashcan comic Minicomic Comic strip Comic strip formats Daily comic strip Lianhuanhua Sunday comics Topper Yonkoma Digital comics Mobile comic Webcomic Webtoon Gag cartoon Graphic novel Trade paperback Political cartoon Techniques Film comic Motion comic Photo comics Text comics Creators Cartoonists list Colorists Editors Inkers Letterers Publishing companies Writers By format Editorial list Minicomics Webcomics By country American Jewish American Australian Canadian Cuban Japanese (manga) Macedonian Other Female comics creators list History Years in comics American Golden Age Silver Age Bronze Age Modern Age events Japanese (manga) Webcomics Narratology Genres Abstract Adult Alternative Ambiguous Anthropomorphic Autobiographical Celebrity Crime Dystopian Erotic Fantasy list Gekiga Horror Romance list Science fiction Superhero Teen humor Tijuana bible Underground War Western Wrestling Tropes Antihero Funny animal Masking Rogue Superhero Supervillain Widescreen comics Themes Ethnic stereotypes Feminist Gender and webcomics LGBT American mainstream Portrayal of black people African characters Portrayal of women The Hawkeye Initiative Women in Refrigerators By country Africa South Africa Americas Argentina Brazil Canada Quebec Mexico United States list Asia China and Taiwan list Hong Kong India list Japan lists Korea list Philippines Thailand Vietnam Europe Czech Republic France and Belgium list Belgium Germany Hungary Italy list Netherlands Poland Portugal Serbia Spain list United Kingdom Wales Oceania Australia Lists By format Comic books Comic strips Manga magazines Webcomics By source Based on fiction Based on films Based on television programs Based on video games Other lists Awards Best-selling comic series manga manga magazines Comic books on CD/DVD Comics and comic strips made into feature films Comics solicited but never published Limited series Collections and museums Belgian Comic Strip Center Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum National Cartoon Museum British Cartoon Archive Caricature & Cartoon Museum Basel Cartoon Art Museum The Cartoon Museum Fred Waring Cartoon Collection Gibiteca Antonio Gobbo Michigan State University Comic Art Collection Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art ToonSeum Words & Pictures Museum Schools Center for Cartoon Studies The Kubert School Organizations Professional Academy of Comic Book Arts Association of Canadian Cartoonists Association of Comics Magazine Publishers Australian Cartoonists' Association National Cartoonists Society Samahang Kartunista ng Pilipinas Critical and academic Association des Critiques et des journalistes de Bande Dessinée Canadian Comic Book Creator Awards Association Comic & Fantasy Art Amateur Press Association Sequart Organization Svenska Serieakademien Charitable and outreach Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors British Amateur Press Association (comics) Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Comic Legends Legal Defense Fund Finnish Comics Society Friends of Lulu The Hero Initiative Xeric Foundation Category Portal WikiProject v t e Narrative Character Antagonist Antihero Archenemy Character arc Character flaw Characterization Deuteragonist False protagonist Focal character Foil Gothic double Narrator Protagonist Stock character Straight man Supporting character Title character Tragic hero Tritagonist Plot Act Act structure Three-act structure Action Backstory Chekhov's gun Cliché Cliffhanger Conflict Deus ex machina Dialogue Dramatic structure Exposition/Protasis Rising action/Epitasis Climax/Peripeteia Falling action/Catastasis Denouement/Catastrophe Eucatastrophe Foreshadowing Flashback Flashforward Frame story In medias res Kishōtenketsu MacGuffin Occam's razor Pace Plot device Plot twist Poetic justice Red herring Reveal Self-fulfilling prophecy Shaggy dog story Story arc Subplot Suspense Trope Setting Alternate history Backstory Crossover Dreamworld Dystopia Fictional location city country universe Utopia Theme Irony Leitmotif Metaphor Moral Motif Style Allegory Bathos Diction Figure of speech Imagery Narrative techniques Mode Mood Narration Stylistic device Suspension of disbelief Symbolism Tone Structure Linear narrative Nonlinear narrative films television series Types of fiction with multiple endings Form Cantastoria Comics Epic Fable Fabliau Fairy tale Flash fiction Folktale Kamishibai Gamebook Legend Novel Novella Parable Play Poem Screenplay Short story Vignette (literature) Genre Action fiction Adventure Comic Crime Docufiction Epistolary Erotic Fantasy Fiction Gothic Historical Horror List of writing genres Magic realism Mystery Nautical Non-Fiction Paranoid Philosophical Picaresque Political Pop culture Psychological Religious Rogue Romance Saga Satire Science Speculative Superhero Theological Thriller Urban Western Narration First-person Multiple narrators Stream of consciousness Stream of unconsciousness Unreliable Diegesis Self-insertion Tense Past Present Future Related Audience Author Creative nonfiction Fiction writing Literary science Literary theory Narratology Political narrative Rhetoric Screenwriting Storytelling Tellability v t e Stock characters By ethics and morality Heroes Classic hero Action hero Christ figure Everyman Folk hero Knight-errant Legacy hero Mythological king Superhero Youngest son Antihero Byronic hero Man alone Tragic hero Other Supersoldier Rogues Lovable rogue Gentleman detective Jack Trickster Tricky slave Harlequin Zanni Outlaw Bad boy Gentleman thief Pirate Air pirate Space pirate Other Good cop/bad cop Rake Villains Antivillains False hero The mole Double agent Evil twin Social Darwinist Dark Lord Mad scientist Supervillain Monsters Bug-eyed monster Evil clown Killer toy Skeleton Swamp monster Vampires Zombies Other Alazon Archenemy Igor Masked Mystery Villain Miser By sex and gender Feminine Love interest Bishōjo Farmer's daughter Girl next door Hooker with a heart of gold Ingénue Loosu ponnu Magical girlfriend Catgirl Manic Pixie Dream Girl Hag Cat lady Crone Fairy godmother La Ruffiana Loathly lady Hawksian woman Dragon Lady Femme fatale Tsundere Woman warrior Jungle girl Magical girl Queen bee Princesse lointaine Southern belle Valley girl Yamato nadeshiko LGBT Class S Laotong Lady-in-waiting Columbina Mammy stereotype Geek girl Gamer girl Damsel in distress Final girl Princess and dragon Masculine Harlequin Pierrot Father figure Wise old man Elderly martial arts master Magical Negro Young Ivan the Fool Jack Jock Nice guy Nice Jewish boy Superfluous man Himbo Prince Charming Bishōnen Knight-errant Primitive Feral child Noble savage Caveman Moleman Mountain man LGBT Seme and uke Otokonoko Bad boy Pachuco Black knight Others Adolescent cliques Clown Dragonslayer Donor Fool Imaginary friend Innamorati ("The Lovers") Little green men Pop icon Redshirt Straight man Tokenism Town drunk White savior Authority control BNE: XX5673272 BNF: cb12333515q (data) GND: 4142672-1 LCCN: sh85005681 Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Antihero&oldid=1001848088" Categories: Heroes Stock characters Superhero fiction themes Tropes Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata Articles to be expanded from February 2015 Pages with missing ISBNs All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from February 2017 Articles with unsourced statements from June 2019 Articles with unsourced statements from November 2017 Articles with unsourced statements from November 2019 Articles containing Japanese-language text Wikipedia articles with BNE identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Use dmy dates from April 2017 Navigation menu Personal tools Not logged in Talk Contributions Create account Log in Namespaces Article Talk Variants Views Read Edit View history More Search Navigation Main page Contents Current events Random article About Wikipedia Contact us Donate Contribute Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file Tools What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Page information Cite this page Wikidata item Print/export Download as PDF Printable version Languages العربية Български Català Čeština Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Frysk Gaeilge Gàidhlig Galego 한국어 Հայերեն Hrvatski Italiano עברית Magyar Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本語 Norsk bokmål Norsk nynorsk Occitan Plattdüütsch Polski Português Română Русский Simple English سنڌي Suomi Svenska ไทย Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt 粵語 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 21 January 2021, at 17:33 (UTC). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers Contact Wikipedia Mobile view Developers Statistics Cookie statement