The anti hero is a figure who has featured in multiple works across the centuries. In every novel and story, the figure of the anti-hero straddles an interesting middle ground between the hero and the villain. The anti hero can be recognized by their unique characteristics, which are somewhere between good and evil. This paper will set out the definition for the anti hero through the Metamorphosis and Paradise Lost, and then use this definition to justify classifying characters from Watchmen as anti-heroes.
In Kafka’s Metamorphosis, the anti hero is personified in Gregor’s callous family. They have a skewed sense of the idea of sacrifice, and see Gregor as simply a means to an end. He is primarily a source of income for them, after which he …show more content…
He is a character who prefers to lead by example, similar to Satan in Milton’s Paradise Lost. He strongly believes that the only way people will learn is through action, which he undertakes ruthlessly and efficiently. This insistence to adhere to a warped sense of morality causes Kovacs to become a riotous force in the world of Watchmen. He is a wild card whose motivations none of the characters are completely certain of. He is also very focused on vigilante justice, the essence of which is leading by example. Where this stands out is when he takes the case of the Blair kidnapping into his own hands, eventually finding the man responsible and killing him in a cruel and sadistic manner. Kovacs then goes on the explain to the doctor that everything is random, and only humans can impose order on this randomness (204). He uses this as justification for all of his actions, in a way trying to set right the imbalances in the world. He also delights in playing with people, preferring to let his actions speak louder than his words. This is evidenced when he scares Jacobi multiple times before finally confronting him (168). Rorschach is not well liked, but his ultimate goals are for a good cause, and he believes wholeheartedly in his version of justice. His persistence in following a moral code that is not widely accepted echoes Satan’s actions in Paradise Lost, through which this paper defines Rorschach …show more content…
Whether what Veidt did is right or wrong, or how the story continues, are all up to the reader’s prerogative. This lends a sense of ownership over the material to the reader. Another area Watchmen excels is how it blurs the line between the villain and the anti-hero, to the point where the line itself does not exist. The point this graphic novel seems to be making is that from a certain point of view, any act is
In Kafka’s Metamorphosis, the anti hero is personified in Gregor’s callous family. They have a skewed sense of the idea of sacrifice, and see Gregor as simply a means to an end. He is primarily a source of income for them, after which he …show more content…
He is a character who prefers to lead by example, similar to Satan in Milton’s Paradise Lost. He strongly believes that the only way people will learn is through action, which he undertakes ruthlessly and efficiently. This insistence to adhere to a warped sense of morality causes Kovacs to become a riotous force in the world of Watchmen. He is a wild card whose motivations none of the characters are completely certain of. He is also very focused on vigilante justice, the essence of which is leading by example. Where this stands out is when he takes the case of the Blair kidnapping into his own hands, eventually finding the man responsible and killing him in a cruel and sadistic manner. Kovacs then goes on the explain to the doctor that everything is random, and only humans can impose order on this randomness (204). He uses this as justification for all of his actions, in a way trying to set right the imbalances in the world. He also delights in playing with people, preferring to let his actions speak louder than his words. This is evidenced when he scares Jacobi multiple times before finally confronting him (168). Rorschach is not well liked, but his ultimate goals are for a good cause, and he believes wholeheartedly in his version of justice. His persistence in following a moral code that is not widely accepted echoes Satan’s actions in Paradise Lost, through which this paper defines Rorschach …show more content…
Whether what Veidt did is right or wrong, or how the story continues, are all up to the reader’s prerogative. This lends a sense of ownership over the material to the reader. Another area Watchmen excels is how it blurs the line between the villain and the anti-hero, to the point where the line itself does not exist. The point this graphic novel seems to be making is that from a certain point of view, any act is