From the Byronic Hero to Nietzsche’s Übermensch: A Critical Review of Comparative Studies on Nihilism

Abstract

This paper explores a philosophical-literary question: can Lord Byron and Friedrich Nietzsche be seen as existential twins, each a solitary rider in his own realm, one in literature, the other in philosophy? Both faced the crisis of nihilism, defined by Nietzsche as the collapse of the highest values. Byron’s poetic persona, especially the Byronic Hero, seems to reflect Nietzsche’s concept of the Übermensch: a figure who embraces the void but resists it actively. Through a critical review of past comparative studies, this article highlights how Byron’s rebellious spirit through the Byronic Hero and Nietzsche’s active nihilism through the Übermensch intersect. It also points out the limitations of previous research, which often focused only on Manfred and Nietzsche’s own views of Byron, and which remained abstract without offering practical cultural insights. The paper concludes by suggesting a new direction: future studies should explore nihilism in love and desire, here called “romantic nihilism”, where Byron’s Don Juan and Nietzsche’s Dionysus provide richer models for confronting meaninglessness.