He Walks in Beauty
A.K.A. the Prevalence of Byronism in Our Society
Byronism as a Whole
“Tall, dark and handsome”, this phrase is commonly associated with the image of the ideal man, the picturesque version of masculinity. The very existence of this archetype can be attributed to the infamous Lord Byron, a 19th-century English poet. Brilliant as he was, his works spread far and wide, with notable examples being “Don Juan” and “She Walks in Beauty.” This traction inevitably led to him being considered one of the greatest poets of all time, paving the way for writers to come. Now, you may wonder, how exactly did he birth the rise of the Byronic man? Well, for one, he typically moulded his characters after himself. Known for his debauchery and cynicism, his characters — unsurprisingly — bear the same traits, often leading to some tragedy in their lives. These tragic heroes ultimately found a place in readers’ hearts, perceived as the pinnacle of male virtues.
Moving on to another question, what exactly defines a Byronic man? A Byronic man is someone who silently broods in a corner, gazing at the world in contempt for misunderstanding his troubled heart- after all, how could society’s fickle mind comprehend his lustrous intellect? This self-loathing leads to him engaging in self-destructive behaviour, which ultimately causes his ruin. This general description doesn’t truly do the archetype justice, yet it does capture its essence — the self-perceived superiority of a dysfunctional man, aware of his flaws but unwilling to work on them. Yet, how can a simple literary trope affect our daily lives?
To begin, we must understand that Byronism is quite human - it was crafted by a troubled man. Hence, it should come as no surprise that the people we meet also display Byronic qualities. However, this is more evident when we examine more popular figures, such as celebrities appearing on our phone screens and in magazines. A name that instantly comes to mind is Marlon Brando, known as an aficionado who rebelled against the systemic mistreatment of people of colour in the United States of America. The same can be said for the “Lizard King” Jim Morrison and James Dean, who is remembered as a “rebel without a cause.” The Byronic man is a rebel who refuses to accept societal norms, bringing waves of progress and change. Nonetheless, over time, the essence of the older Byronic man has been diluted, merely a distant memory for baby boomers to recall. Seeing that many grew up idolising these men, they interpret it as the standard of masculinity, believing that they must be suave and buff, with words that flow as sweet as honey. Sadly, that is a poor representation of the Byronic male archetype, resulting in extreme deviations from the standard.
The rise of Byronic characters has influenced young, vulnerable men to adopt this unhealthy lifestyle, leading to issues regarding their self-esteem. Numerous Byronic characters exist in our media, from Batman to Edmond Dantès, which exposes us to this ideal from a young age. They question their masculinity, believing that they, too, need to live up to a particular image. This inadvertently leads to a toxic relationship with their masculinity. Hence, they opt to mask their true identity, choosing to conform to the societal convention of masculinity. This doesn’t do them any justice, but they learn to suppress their feelings by pretending that they are “strong men.” As of now, we know that men are more likely to experience mental health problems, and trying to fit into a box they weren’t meant to accommodate, only to further exacerbate this problem. Losing their vulnerability hinders meaningful connection and growth, causing a gap in human connection.
As aforementioned, the classic Byronic hero broods away in isolation, feeling judged and misunderstood. Unfortunately, this remains the case today, with the “alpha male” mindset spreading like wildfire. This philosophy, which often leads to a reluctance to treat others as equals, is genuinely alarming. For instance, the “alpha males” think that men are intellectually superior to women and believe that they own the rights to women’s bodies. This not only strips away women’s bodily autonomy, which we have fought so hard for but also goes against basic human decency. Lacking basic compassion and empathy is an indirect consequence of extreme interpretations of the Byronic male archetype. This sets back years of progress and evolution, which leads to biases against either sex. Men are often taught to keep to themselves, and overall, there is a lack of understanding within the community. Thus, it shouldn’t come as a shock that the essence of being human is completely forgotten.
What Exactly Is Byronic?
Characters like Mr Rochester and Heathcliff are commonly referred to as the classic Byronic Males, setting the standard for the rest that came after. Primarily due to the influence of Gothic literature, most people idealise these figures. Byronism has become so normalised in our society that it indirectly influences our daily lives. Take, for instance, the typical authoritarian figure present in corporate and political spaces. The most charismatic leaders tend to possess Byronic qualities, such as an air of command and superiority. This, unfortunately, creates a disadvantage for women in these spaces.
Women are shaped from a young age to be kind and compassionate, to be gentle and open with those around them. These traits strikingly contrast with the traditional “masculine traits”, which don’t leave much room for women’s empathy and softness. However, Byronic women are not received well by society either, often mocked for being too “overbearing” and “bossy”. This societal pressure to balance the duality of their nature creates a no-win scenario for women, where they are bound to lose either way, hindering their professional growth and evolution. This also sheds light on the discrimination faced by women in the workforce, with the prevalence of the “wage gap” and the general stigma surrounding mothers.
The societal roles set for women and men are jarringly different, causing inequality in professional spaces. Nevertheless, this issue truly boils down to a lack of respect for women. Let’s face it: even today, women are still not viewed as equals — women are perceived as burdens and intellectually inferior, with little to no substance. This stereotype has been perpetuated by years and years of misogyny, from the lack of accreditations for women’s contributions to science and literature to the belief that women shouldn’t take up as much space as men. This also describes why so little research is done on women, blaming our “hormonal fluctuations” and calling our dissatisfaction a result of “PMS.” There is little incentive to understand our struggles, to uplift and support us or to ensure fair play. Byronism has set the standard male archetype, and it is one that we have clung to for so long that any perspective that challenges it is immediately dismissed. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Byronism harms men. Men who disobey this role are often perceived as weak or too feminine.
What Can Be Done?
From all that we’ve discussed, we can see that the Byronic hero archetype should no longer set the standard for modern masculinity. The archetype only propagates a harmful narrative where turbulence and emotional dysfunction are normalised. By raising awareness about the limitations of Byronism, we can hopefully make people realise that the image they have been indoctrinated to believe is only a manufactured concoction with no place in the real world beyond the pages of a book. The appeal of the Byronic hero should be taken as an inspiration to promote self-discovery and seek healthier alternatives for self-expression. Instead of looking up to a typical Byronic character, we should opt for other options, like Mr Darcy, who outgrows his cynicism for the sake of stability and connection. These alternative Byronic characters suggest that the first step towards self-improvement is recognising that your negative traits are tarnishing your identity and individuality. Nonetheless, a world where Byronism is no longer romanticised is the key to a wholesome and equal society.
Written by: Rasshmika Nantha Kumar
Edited by: Bryan Lue
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