The Heroes of Great Literature

Can a hero be villainous? The rise of the anti-hero, who lacks ordinary heroic attributes and portrays the opposite of the heroic traits, takes center stage in 19th Century literature. They are “passionate men at odds with their environment,” who know they are villains and own their villainy. These characters step beyond the bounds of ordinary moral norms and violate the laws of nature to fulfill their purpose—but to what consequence?