The
Romantic hero is a
literary archetype referring to a character that rejects established norms and conventions, has been rejected by society, and has the self as the center of his or her own existence. The Romantic hero is often the
protagonist in the literary work and there is a primary focus on the character's thoughts rather than his or her actions. Literary critic
Northrop Frye noted that the Romantic hero is often "placed outside the structure of civilization and therefore represents the force of physical nature, amoral or ruthless, yet with a sense of power, and often leadership, that society has impoverished itself by rejecting". Other characteristics of the romantic hero include
introspection, the triumph of the individual over the "restraints of theological and social conventions",
wanderlust,
melancholy,
misanthropy, alienation, and isolation. However, another common trait of the Romantic hero is regret for his actions, and
self-criticism, often leading to
philanthropy, which stops the character from ending romantically. An example of this trait is
Edmond Dantès in
The Count of Monte Cristo.