Byronic Heroes: Anakin Skywalker From The Star Wars

Essay about Byronic Heroes One of the most famous examples of a Byronic hero is probably Anakin Skywalker from the Star Wars movies. While he wasn’t always portrayed that way, he does transform into what people would consider a Byronic hero. We do know that he has a troubled past because he and his mother started out as slaves. Although he was eventually given the opportunity to travel around the universe, he did have a rough start in life. Anakin was usually a good person, but so many problems drove him to the dark side, literally. He became arrogant and evil because he was supposedly the chosen one. This was his not-so-secret flaw. While I can’t blame Anakin for being passionate about his beliefs, it is a major characteristic of Byronic …show more content…
This is where he grew up as a slave until Qui-Gon Jinn discovered his potential with the Force. Although he led a mostly pleasant life, some tragedies plagued him. His mother eventually died and he never really got the chance to say goodbye. He secretly married his childhood love, but not everything was perfect. She became pregnant and Anakin started having visions about his wife’s demise. In his attempt to save his wife and unborn children, “Skywalker betrayed the Jedi, pledging himself to his former confidant and friend...” (Wookieepedia) This soon came true, and it caused Anakin to be pushed further towards the dark side, literally.
Furthermore, Anakin became extremely arrogant. He was convinced that nobody could match his skill because he was hailed as the “Chosen One of Jedi prophecy.” (Wookieepedia) This flaw led to his eventual downfall. He thought he could defeat his former master but he was defeated and left to die next to a lava river. He didn’t die but he lost his limbs and nearly melted to death. He was placed in a life-supporting suit. The incident left him severely disfigured and extremely unattractive. This is another characteristic of a Byronic