One of the biggest issues of 21st-century literature is definitely the rise of the bad boy or antihero archetype—not that any of us bookworms are complaining. From Wilde’s Dorian Grey to John Travolta playing Danny Zuko, the casanova effect of the emotionally unavailable and seemingly improper guy has been present for centuries. It does, however, bring to light some interesting facts and relationship dynamics that revolve around the appeal of the boy with the leather jacket, the unconventional style, and the artistic personality, who refuses to conform to the norm with a passion. These types of heroes have come to replace the traditional valiant, honorable and essentially good guy who gets the girl through honesty and trust.
Let’s not run from the inevitable anymore, let’s dive into the different bad boys through the eras and why so many women find them just way too enticing.
How could we possibly define such an over-the-top and larger-than-life personality with a few words? Well, perhaps the Byronic hero would be a good place to start. A proud, cynical, gloomy, defiant and scornful man is the typical hero of Byronic writing. Much like lord Byron himself, he is extremely attractive, but many stay away from him due to his not-so-redeeming qualities. But the one who dares approach will realize that the arrogant prince of unhappiness is nothing more than a wounded and guarded soul capable of the utmost affection.
Of course, one must admit that there is a certain kind of noble fragility in the Byronic hero, which will come to be transformed into the heartless womanizer of later literary eras. The pure and noble motives that perhaps characterized the bad guy are replaced by selfish and sometimes problematic reasons that shape the character of the antagonist. Like Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre or Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, the Bronte sisters give us an explicit display of the man who wants something and will strive to get it despite the immorality of his cause because they think they are deserving of it, they have been tricked out of it and been treated unfairly to no end. The bad boy, an alpha male at heart, will not hesitate to tell things as they are and even hurt the girl if it’s the right thing to do in his unique moral code. And that’s why most times they are treated like the villains of the story.
In more modern terms, the bad boy is the womanizer of the school, the American rockstar, the playboy of the campus, or even the mafia boss with the English accent who uses women as mere objects with self-esteem in abundance. They are attractive, guided by depravity and thrilled by danger, but they do have a soft spot for that one girl who will manage to look under the facade. They are the men your parents warned you to stay away from, the ones your friends secretly swoon over, the ones you get hooked at from the first time you lay eyes on them, but there is a certain appeal in their darkness; one you are dying to explore. Furthermore, they are also the most tender and sought-after lovers, making them the perfect protagonists of a steamy novel. They are walking red flags, but guess what, —like us— many heroines have a taste for red. Due to the many intricacies of this, many different types of bad boys have come to the surface.
Through the evolution of romance, questionable characters have shifted from evil antagonists to protagonists heroines are willing to risk everything for. Let’s take a look at a few examples, that perfectly showcase this gradual change.
As one might imagine, the first novels depict their gray characters as deprived, deranged and purely evil. They are always trying to cause trouble for the protagonists due to their thirst for power or thrill. They are set on keeping the two fated lovers away from one another, endlessly irritating most readers, but successfully becoming an indispensable part of their story.
Ambrosio, the charismatic and compelling young monk, is guided by his greed and want for attention. When the devil’s temptation in the form of Matilda, a young woman pretending to be a novice in the monastery, shows up in his life, he lets his darkest instincts take over. Matthew Lewis allows for a very detailed description of Ambrosio’s journey from piety and fake morality to lust and evil, thus defining him as a villain.
Another well-known villain in a classic novel is Count Montoni from Anne Radcliffe’s “Mysteries of Udolpho”. Not only does he tear the two lovebirds, Emily and Valancourt apart, but he also has a dark past, with a gloomy and haunted castle to match his eerie persona. Ambrosio may be the protagonist, but he is definitely not the traditional one, he is actually used as an example of the morally depraved man, while Montoni could never even aspire to surpass Valancourt’s merits as the sweet and good-natured hero.
Historical Romance offers fertile ground for the slow evolution of the villain to a hero. In other words, a man who does the wrong thing for the right reasons.
In Alisa Adams’ Scottish Romance novels, the evil Laird takes over and causes terror in the heart of his clan and others. Such is the case of Mungan Ross in the “Beasts of the Highlands” series, who is trying to take over the Ross clan after his brother’s death by forcing his oldest niece to marry him—yes, he is that questionable. A villain through and through, he terrorizes his nieces, but as such, he is soon defeated by the fierce Ross sisters and their beaus.
Now the rift starts to show in novels like Adamina Young’s “Overthrowing the Usurper Laird”. Here, the evil Laird is not the only bad boy in town. James McAlister, the brave and charming hero, is forced into a life of crime after his birthright is stolen from him. Despite his faults and missteps, Lyla will help him reclaim his title and find his way back to a moral and honorable life, thus turning the rogue into a worthy hero. Which leads us to Regency Romance.
The Regency era was a very precarious period for the British gentry, and the rise of Rakes in aristocratic cycles is proof of that. As Julia Quin showcased wonderfully in her Bridgerton series with Simon Basset, the mysterious and dreamy Duke of Hastings, the magnetism of the bad boy is irresistible even for a perfect damsel like Daphne Bridgerton. Simon is a rake in all his glory, with dark sides and thoughts that lead him to be impulsive, selfish and angry— and boy did we enjoy that.
“Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake” by Sarah MacLean gives us another glance into the rake category, where the bad boy is the center of all female attention. Gabriel St. John, Marquess of Ralston, for all his womanizing ways, will fall into his own little trap.
Undoubtedly, contemporary books and college romances are in for the ride regarding the Bad Boy Trope. From unruly, horny teens, to adults and Ceos with countless secrets, the bad boy is the absolute protagonist.
Now, let’s see what Travis and Hardin have in common, aside from being extremely easy on the eye. Both of them are involved with dozens of girls, they have anger issues and deeply rooted insecurities. Despite having different priorities and problems, the solution to all is the right girl, who will put the bad attitude and habits aside and will not scare easily. Hardin’s problems seem to run deeper than Travis’, but we dare say that, unlike Anna Todd, Jamie McGuire has given us a much more complex and detailed gray character that we end up rooting for. One thing is for sure, they are both high in the bad boy spectrum.
The mafia boss or any other such criminal is the epitome of the Bad Boy Trope. The Villain has fully emerged as the protagonist, wreaking havoc in the hearts of countless good girls and proving that darkness is becoming more and more inviting.
Anita Gray and Danielle Lori definitely hit the nail on the head with these books. Charlie is a vicious predator, who operates in the shadows of the underworld and manages to steal Blaire for her master. It is a very dark relationship, and this read is not for the faint of heart—even we bookworms are sometimes afraid to dive straight into the abyss. On the other hand, Nicolas Russo, a mafia boss, is the typical bad man. With all ill intentions and immense charm, Nico will make Elena question everything about the dark world they live in, especially why she is so attracted to rough hands, addictions and darkness…
Besides the sharp jawline, dark eyes and mysterious aura, bad boys offer the opportunity to explore many different— and thoroughly fascinating— tropes and complexities of human relationships. Let’s explore some of the most common motives.
Conflict
Moral or literal conflict between the bad boy and his woman are inevitable. These two are, more often than not, polar opposites with conflicting interests and weaknesses, but with the same needs. It is this exact need for tension and excitement that draws them to each other and keeps them coming back for more.
Savior/God Complex
One of the two has to think of themselves as the guardian angel for the other. It is an absolute must and gives that much more depth and importance to the feelings of that person. Be it a good Christian girl or a good nerdy guy, the “I can fix them” logic goes strong.
Self-destructive behavior/ Anger Issues
Of course, you can’t have an “I can fix him” moment without an angry explosion or a self-loathing spree. Most bad boys usually suffer from such issues that are usually cured under the watchful eye and the persistent attention of the girl.
Communication Code
It is no secret that most of the issues and insecurities our villains and bad boys suffer from could have been cured perhaps in childhood, had there been enough communication within the family. So, it is easy to guess that when a communication bridge is established between the couple, their mood swings, unpredictable behavior and motives can be much better explained and understood.
Healing
After being together for a while and having gained a better understanding of each other, our soulmates start healing. Not necessarily together, but usually both people in the relationship benefit from the emotional growth and progress. Helping someone sort through their problems and gradually heal can be oddly fulfilling.
There is no question that morally gray heroes hold a certain appeal that is entirely different from the charm of the princely knight. Antiheroes, rakes, and rogues are more real, making it easy for the reader to not only identify with them, but also root for them and try to understand them. No one would question why a valiant and brave prince defends the princess’ honor, but a rogue assassin who blows his cover to save a girl certainly makes for a page-turner. Commonly bad boys are seen under the cliché of meeting the girl, taking her from Mr Nice Guy, spending a lot of time bonding and healing, and then in a short and tumultuous time, they break up. They are often seen are short-term options due to their bad behavior, without any family members to rely on anymore, but they are the gods of their group, the dating advice experts despite their own failures.
The struggles and worries that such characters face make them unique and interesting. They are a mystery that begs to be explored, a riddle that calls for an answer, a puzzle that demands to be solved. Their loyalty, once earned, is there for life, making them take crazy risks, even willing to burn the world down for the sake of their loved ones. Only specific partners are suitable to be with them, though. To be with them, one needs to revel in the darkness and even savor it—at least to some extent— from the shy damsel in distress that will play second fiddle to a dynamic female who speaks her mind and is an equal partner. So, long story short, it is those small, odd things that make the bad boys irresistible and the star of most contemporary works.
But not all villains are meant to be changed and healed, not all fairytales are meant to have a good ending—we bookworms have had our fair share of heartbreak.
If reading all of this has not made you want to read a good bad boy-good girl romance, we don’t know what will. For all their wickedness and malice, one has to admire bad boys. They dare to see a rotten and corrupted world for what it is, and not just that, but they are also willing to sacrifice their souls if it helps them change even one thing for their partner. They get the girl, but they also get to leave the reader in awe of their resilience, which often leads to the spiciest enemies-to-lovers romance—but that is a discussion for another time.
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Always living in her own enchanted little world, Christina discovered the magic that can be hidden within the pages of a book when one dares to take a closer look from a tender age. An avid reader, she is constantly inspired to delve into the secrets woven between the lines and challenges herself to find her own voice amidst the chaos. She is a dedicated fan of the classics, but the supernatural creatures that have tormented readers for years are her kryptonite. The mastery it takes to infuse the author's essence, molded by the era they grew up in to their innermost desires fascinates her. Undoubtedly, putting her passion and knowledge on paper has a mesmerizing allure on her, and following the steps of so many other dreamers before her she wishes to leave her mark in the literary world. Guided by T.S Eliot’s haunting words: “I will show you fear in a handful of dust” she intends to wreak havoc in the minds of her future readers.
