Twilight 1,2 or Byronic hero for teenagers

And now Childe Harold was sore sick at heart,
And from his fellow bacchanals would flee;
'Tis said, at times the sullen tear would start,
But Pride congeal'd the drop within his ee;
Apart he stalk'd in joyless reverie,
And from his native land resolv'd to go,
And visit scorching climes beyond the sea;
With pleasure drugg'd, he almost long'd for woe,
And e'en for change of scene would seek the shades below

Lord Byron. "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage"

For me, it was quite interesting to face the immortal character of a Byronic hero in the recent Hollywood vampire love story: Twilight and The Twilight Saga: New Moon (based on the vampire romance series written by Stephenie Meyer). It is amazing to see how the main hero of the movie - vampire Edward, exhibits pure Byronic characteristics. Let me list some of them (link):

• high level of intelligence
• hidden curse, or crime
• sophisticated and educated
• mysterious, magnetic and charismatic
• power of seduction and sexual attraction
• social and sexual dominance
• "dark" attributes are not normally associated with a hero

Edward's behavior suits perfectly to the whole list above. Even he doesn't have "dark" attributes, since he is a "good" vampire - he and his family doesn't kill humans for food, they kill only animals. Also, "good" vampires are not afraid of sunlight, even more - they start to shine with some golden sparks under the sun. Actually, they remind me more of elves or x-men, than vampires.

As to me, Stephenie Meyer has created an adaptation of famed Byronic characters such as Rochester (Jane Eyre), Pechorin (A Hero of Our Time), Claude Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), and addressed this adaptation to the young generation. In my opinion, the Edward's character, that we see in the movie, is quite interesting and vivid, but a little simplified and decorated, or we could say adapted.

One more interesting question for me was: What is the opposite of the Edward's character? For example, in the Hugo's novel we had Quasimodo and Phoebus as an opposition to the archdeacon. In "Twilight" we have Jacob. Indian Jacob is a werewolf. And he is a pretty positive hero. Perhaps, over-positive. He has strength and a kind heart, he is more simple and open than Edward, and, finally, he is a good car mechanic.

If the Edward's character can be interpreted as an 'English Man', let's say a stranger, then the Jacob's character is supposed to be an 'American Man' - landowner. I'm not sure about it, but I think that Jacob's connection with wolves also supports this suggestion. It will be interesting to trace the Wolf's symbols in the American culture. If we come back to classical characters, then Jacob can be described as a Warrior. He is a direct analog of Phoebus. Unfortunately, Jacob's character was too sweetened in the movie, and, finally, looks unnatural.

My conclusion: it was interesting to understand the origins of the main movie's characters and their classical analogs. But, I have to say, that the movie itself is quite weak, especially it's second part, and I have no inspiration for discussing it.