An antihero is the main character of a story, but one who doesn't act like a typical hero. Antiheroes are often a little villainous. Traditionally, the protagonist — main character and focus — of a story has been a hero: someone good, noble, and brave.

An anti-hero will often do what's best for their own self-interest even if it means putting other people in danger. They're not necessarily evil, but they definitely don't have the same sense of honor and duty as a traditional hero does.

Some famous examples of anti-heroes from literature include Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby (1925), Severus Snape from the Harry Potter Series (1997–2007) and Sherlock Holmes in The House of Silk (2011).

The Psychology Behind the Anti-Hero. Unlike traditional heroes who typically embody virtues such as courage, selflessness, and unwavering morality, anti-heroes are morally ambiguous and complicated. They are noteworthy because they possess traits and engage in actions that deviate from what we would do as viewers.