Antihero

Antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero or in two words as anti hero) is a literary term that can be understood as standing in opposition to the traditional hero (i.e., one with high social status, well-liked by the general populace). The antihero is usually an individual who is in a lower class, as well as an outsider (who is sometimes a criminal). Pushed by circumstances into the role usually occupied by the hero, the antihero follows through with actions both morally righteous and at the same time questionable. The "Racinian" antihero is defined by three factors. The first is that the antihero is doomed to fail before their adventure begins. The second constitutes the blame of that failure on everyone but themselves. Thirdly, they offer a critique of social morals and reality. To other scholars, an antihero is inherently a hero from a specific point of view, and a villain from another. Typically, an antihero is the focal point of conflict in a story, whether as the protagonist or as the antagonistic force. This is due to the antihero's engagement in the conflict, typically of their own will, rather than a specific calling to serve the greater good. As such, the antihero focuses on their personal motives first and foremost, with everything else secondary.