Ted: A Byronic Hero in Mary Shelley´s Frankenstein

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A typical hero in today's definition would be someone with super abilities who makes the world a better place. Mary Shelley's heroes, however, fit a very different description. A byronic hero is usually the protagonist in Romantic literature, a rebel with many dark qualities who is exiled from the rest of society. Ted exemplifies the basic characteristics of the byronic hero throughout Mary Shelley's work, Frankenstein.
Ted, due to his grotesque appearance, is rejected from society despite his best efforts to interact with humans. When Ted awakens, he is immediately is driven away by his creator's, Victor Frankenstein, horrified reaction to his animation. Victor recalls with repulsion "I had worked so hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body... but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room" (Shelley 42). Victor is so disgusted by Ted that he must instantaneously leave the room and becomes ill at the thought of what he has done. Ted seeks acceptance from Victor after, but Victor deserts the apartment altogether, leaving Ted to decipher the world for himself. After traveling on his own for some time, Ted enters a town in hopes of interacting with humans and finding more food and shelter. Much to his disappointment, Ted recalls: at sunset I arrived at a village. How miraculous did this appear!...One of the best of these I entered, but I had hardly placed my foot within the door before the children shrieked, and one of the women fainted. The whole village was roused; some fled, some attacked me, until, grievously bruised by st...

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...renched by misery to vice and hatred, it did not endure the violence of the change without torture such as you cannot even imagine" (Shelley 195). Ted is tormented by his past choices, and emphasizes the fact that he was driven by Victor's actions to commit such deeds, he did not act of his own accord. So despite loving Victor, Ted's need for revenge after his rejection was able to supersede his desire for an intimate relationship with Victor.
Ted's characteristics undoubtedly match those of the typical byronic hero. Though he is not part of the story as a protagonist or to save the day, he is a pivotal character that was not bred for evil. Ted's experiences ultimately led to his dark nature, and with better treatment, he could have easily been a positive attribute to Victor's life. Unfortunately for Ted, he was judged by his appearance, not his original character.

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