Check out this interesting list from LitReactor.com, featuring fictional antiheroes — classic and modern day. Makes me realize I love a good antihero.
1. Dexter Morgan from Jeff Lindsay’s series beginning with Darkly Dreaming Dexter (2004). I’m fairly obsessed with the TV show.
2. Edward Rochester from Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre (1847). I refer to Mr. Rochester as every young woman’s foray into “bad guys.”
3. Hannibal Lecter from Thomas Harris’ Hannibal series beginning with Red Dragon (1981).
4. Holden Caulfiled from J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye (1951). This was the first book I read that made me want to write. I didn’t know characters like this could exist — flawed, rebellious, against the grain. I know I’m not alone in considering Holden Caulfield extremely liberating.
5. Jay Gatsby from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (1925). On my list of most intriguing characters (I have such a list, a mental one), Jay Gatsby is #1.
6. Lady Macbeth from Shakespeare’s Macbeth (about 1603). This crazy bitch scares me. Still.
7. Lisabeth Salander from Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series beginning with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2005). This crazy bitch scares me too, but I’d still have coffee with her. I would not have coffee with Lady Macbeth.
8. Michael Corleone from Mario Puzo’s Godfather series beginning with The Godfather (1969). Never read it, not interested in reading it. Sorry.
9. Roland Deschain from Steven King’s The Dark Tower series beginning with The Gunslinger (1982). I’ve been told I need to read more Steven King. I’ll probably start with this one.
10. Scarlett O’Hara from Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind (1936). I’m not sure I’d call Scarlett an antihero. Thoughts?
