Routledge - The Wounded Hero in Contemporary Fiction Book

Explore the evolution of character development in modern literature with The Wounded Hero in Contemporary Fiction: A Paradoxical Quest. Part of the Routledge Studies in Contemporary Literature series, this volume examines the rise of a new type of hero. Unlike traditional protagonists, these characters are defined by their physical or spiritual wounds, choosing to embrace suffering, alienation, and marginalization as central elements of their identity. Editors Susana Onega and Jean-Michel Ganteu have assembled a collection of insights from leading experts in the field. This book investigates how contemporary fiction uses these characters to redefine self-definition through struggle rather than through the typical triumph over adversity. It is an essential resource for students, academics, and readers interested in how modern literary forms and genres handle the ethics of characterization and the complexities of the human condition.