Today I want to open up a discussion on the three(?) different types of heroes. Mind you, the meta-class is much different than the eight archetypes. I may discuss those another day. First let me present some accepted basic definitions.
He has to be successful- a man of achievement. Independent. A ruler – a man of power. Strong, handsome, vigorous. A leader. In human societies, the signs of success are wealth and power – and so the Alpha hero has to have the outward trappings – those visible signs of success that the world values – money, houses, cars, businesses…
Tradition has grown up that – to quote Jayne Ann Krentz in DANGEROUS MEN AND ADVENTUROUS WOMEN – ‘These males are the tough, hard-edged, tormented heroes that are at the heart of the vast majority of bestselling romance novels . . . They are the heroes who carry off the heroines in historical romances.
These romances have kinder, gentler heroes, the kind of men who will change your flat tire, open doors for you, help your kid with his homework, and bring you soup when you are sick. They are the anti-thesis of the testosterone-filled chest beaters found in the earlier bodice-ripper romances. These are the guys we all want to find in real life.
There isn’t a whole lot to discuss there, apart from which type of hero you most often write about and why. Here’s where I can’t seem to pinpoint an agreed-upon common definition. Some authors don’t even accept that Gamma Heroes exist!
On AAR, they said the following about Gamma Heroes:
One who doesn’t fit the image of the macho Alpha male, or the easygoing Beta either. He’s a combination–a mutation?–of both types of man, and makes a hero to die for.
The consensus on AAR appears to be that it’s a mix of beta and alpha, a man who is tough but tender. But on this writing site, the author says:
This is the darkest of male heroes (See Author Anne Stuart’s heroes for perfect example of Gamma Heroes.
What does she mean by ‘darker’? Like almost evil? I’ve read Anne Stuart books and many of them do tend to be grim, dark and full of angst. I love them, of course, but this writer hasn’t helped me figure out this Gamma business.
And that’s literally all I’m able to find about Gamma Heroes on the Intarweb. That brings me where I want to be in this post, though, because I’d like to hear your thoughts on whether the Gamma Hero exists and if so, what the hell is he like?
Read Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels Trilogy. Saetan, Lucivar and Daemon are all gamma males. They are fierce, dangerous, powerful, tepermental, but protective, emotional and 100% (or so) supportive. They’re the type of men to give you want you need, not what you want,
Mary McCall Smith wrote a nice post for Romantically Inclined about Gamma heroes. You can find it at http://romantically-inclined.blogspot.com/2006_06_01_romantically-inclined_archive.html.
I write Gammas (I just can’t do a true Alpha).
Arie – my only hero thusfar – is a gamma, I think. He’s a mess of insecurities because he claimed another man’s composition for his own, and that particular symphony propelled him to fame. What to do? How does he prove himself, well, TO HIMSELF when the world doesn’t even realize that he is still untested? He’s anxious around strangers, distrustful of his patrons, and yet… get him in front of an orchestra and he’s a natural leader. When he is DOING what he’s best at, as opposed to talking about it or schmoozing for the chance, then he’s all sexy powerful. Yay! I think Alpha heroes are actually what propelled me to writing – they annoyed me that strongly.
Couldn’t find much specific info on the Gamma either.
My $.02, I think they may be considered ‘darker’ by some authors because in addition to being rich, arrogant and successful they have to have a bit of black in their hearts to balance their tenderness, otherwise they are just a Beta with attitude.
Instead of merely being ruthless in business, a Gamma is capable of being cruel. Like the murdering biker or mafia hit-man who would kill or die for the woman he loves, not just whip out his checkbook.
That’s the way I write ‘em, anyhoo ;0)
So they’re a bit of a blend of alpha – beta in some ways, and they have a dark streak? Is that the overall consensus. Honestly I couldn’t classify my heroes. Someone else will have to do that for me. :)