Your favorite anti-hero characters from musicals

[Forester]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 6:26pm

Mine: Sweeney Todd and Javert

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 6:28pm

Pal Joey

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 6:51pm

j. pierrepont finch, billy flynn

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 6:52pm

Billy Bigelow

[loudasthehelliwant]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 6:59pm

Oh, Javert. We do love him so.

Definately love Sweeney Todd... but can we really call him anti-hero, because it IS his show afterall? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I would say that he IS the protaganist if Sondheim's masterpeice. So does he really count? I absolutely adore him, but I don't know if I would classify him as anti-hero...

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:01pm

Sweeney's actions aren't exactly heroic.

I'd count him, all right!

[rentheadcagofan12]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:06pm

Billy Flynn.

[LariTheLoud]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:08pm

Javert, Sweeney.

[loudasthehelliwant]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:19pm

I'm not saying that Sweeney IS a hero (in the general sense). I just think it's a little odd to say that he is the "anti-hero" of a story that is HIS. I do think him a villain, in the general sense. But the fact is that the musical is his story, and I hardly think him the villain OF HIS OWN STORY. I would definately classify Sweeney as the protaganist of Sondheim's musical, and thus I find it difficult to say that he is "anti-hero". If he is anti-hero... then, praytell, who is the hero of Sweeney Todd whom he is so against?

Updated On: 10/13/05 at 07:19 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:22pm

A protagonist can be either a hero or an anti-hero. There's no doubt that the story revolves around him, just as Pal Joey and Billy Bigelow are also protagonists... they are also anti-heroes. It's possible to be both.

A protagonist isn't necessesarily heroic.

[cathywellerstein]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:26pm

dracula
count von krolock
cathy and jaime sort of act as each others anti-heros

[Ladyofthe Lake]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:30pm

Frank N Furter.

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:39pm

Javert and Sweeney!

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:44pm

lik omg the wizird in wikd

[theatrebabe]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:46pm

Here's another one for Javert. I think I have some others, but I can't really think of them at this moment. Does Benny count?

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:47pm

Dracula and Gaston.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:56pm

I'd go with Robert from Company, I'd consider him an anti-hero.
Also, another vote for Billy Flynn... can we vote for anti-heroines too?

[LostLeander]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 7:59pm

Gaston is not an anti-hero, he's a villian - a Disney villian, but a villian nonetheless.
There's a difference...

Sweeney, Georges/George from Sunday in the Park with Georges

There's really not much for us to like about Georges/George, but he's so damn interesting. I don't know if he's an anti-hero, but he's just not a very likeable character, and that's what makes Sondheim so damn good, because I still love him deeply.

[RaininSmilies]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 8:06pm

Javert.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 8:12pm

Javert
Sweeney

And could the Witch in ITW count?

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 8:26pm

Sweeney - Sweeney Todd
John Wilkes Booth - Assassins
Fosca - Passion
Caroline - Caroline or Change

[loudasthehelliwant]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 8:28pm

I didn't mean to imply that a protaganist had to be heroic- I do know that's not the case.

I do feel that to be anti-hero, though, there needs to be a hero. Again, I ask: who is the hero of Sweeney Todd?

[Over_the_Moon]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 8:32pm

Does Fagin count?

He's not really a hero or an anti-hero...

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 8:37pm

My understanding is that an anti-hero is the protagonist whose actions are less than admirable. Sweeney certainly fits that description.

[rentheadcagofan12]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 8:39pm

Oooo, I can't believe I forgot Frank! Oops. Oh well-- Frank N Furter from Rocky Horror.