What is an Anti Hero?

Updated: June 09, 2023
An anti hero is a protagonist who lacks traditional heroic qualities such as honor, morality, courage, or idealism. They are often conflicted, and their actions are contrary to what is traditionally considered heroic.
Detailed answer:

Anti heroes are defined as a protagonist who lacks traditional heroic qualities. An anti hero is a character that is not necessarily evil, but whose motives and methods may be questionable or unclear at times. They typically have little regard for laws or social mores, which puts them at odds with the rest of society and their goals may also conflict with those of others around them, which can cause conflict between the antihero and other characters in the story. Because of these reasons, anti heroes aren’t always easy to relate to or sympathize with; instead they’re often portrayed as being conflicted and misunderstood.

In fact, they don’t fit into society’s idea of what makes up a hero and may be viewed as being selfish or even sociopathic by some people because they don’t seem concerned with doing things that are considered proper behavior. Anti heroes are a type of protagonist that can be found in many different genres and formats. In literature, they are often portrayed as being complex and conflicted. They may be driven by personal demons or motivations, and their actions may challenge social norms. The term “anti hero” is often used interchangeably with “anti protagonist”, “anti heroines”, or simply “anti characters”.

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