Bryons "childe Harolds Pilgrimage": The Byronic Hero

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Bryon's "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage": The Byronic Hero

In Byron's poem, "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" the main character is

portrayed as a dark brooding man, who doesn't like society and wants to escape

from the world because of his discontent with it. Through the poem we see the

strong resemblance the Byronic hero has to many of todays popular characters,

such as Batman.

In the third stanza of the poem we learn that Childe Harold is the product

of a long line of nobility. ÒChilde Harold, was he hight-but whence his name

and lineage long.Ó Bruce Wayne who is Batman is too the product of an extremely

wealthy family. As with Bruce Wayne, Childe Harold is bothered by his

family ties. ÒBut one sad lose ruins the name for ay.Ó This line shows that

Childe Harold is upset with the reputation that he has inherited from his family.

Just as Bruce Wayne d Üoes Childe Harold strives to break this mold and

become someone who isn't associated with the likes of his ancestors. In Childe

Harold's case he breaks this mold by running away from his father's castle and

exploring nature. Bruce Wayne on the other hand invents himself a new identity

that differs in every way from the preset mold into which he was born.

In the fourth stanza Harold tells us that Childe Harold is unhappy and

upset with the society around him. ÒThen loathed he in his native land to dwell,

which seemed to him more lone than Eremite's sad cell.Ó Childe Harold is

extremely miserabl...

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