| rdfs:comment | - The noble bigot prides himself - and it usually is a man, since women are commonly stereotyped as being "nicer" and more sensitive - on doing the right thing, making sure that those in need are taken care of, yet in the same instance has no qualms with labeling those different from himself with unreasonably prejudiced terms or backhanded compliments. Although the noble bigot basically wallows in his own Jerkass nature, he's on the side of good as well. His bigotry might even be motivated by a misguided desire to be good and "loyal" rather than a Category Traitor. Other characters either are constantly revolted by his nature, or brush it off as it just being in his nature, in the hope that others will get used to it. It may or may not prove to be Pretend Prejudice.
|
| abstract | - The noble bigot prides himself - and it usually is a man, since women are commonly stereotyped as being "nicer" and more sensitive - on doing the right thing, making sure that those in need are taken care of, yet in the same instance has no qualms with labeling those different from himself with unreasonably prejudiced terms or backhanded compliments. Although the noble bigot basically wallows in his own Jerkass nature, he's on the side of good as well. His bigotry might even be motivated by a misguided desire to be good and "loyal" rather than a Category Traitor. Other characters either are constantly revolted by his nature, or brush it off as it just being in his nature, in the hope that others will get used to it. It may or may not prove to be Pretend Prejudice. This character will almost always be totally redeemed in the end - and even if he isn't, it will still be acknowledged that he has his good qualities. Sometimes he is as sympathetic as such a character can be, only holding on to his prejudices due to a Freudian Excuse (his parents taught him to be this way, or he was once wronged by a member of the group he now despises). A distinct but closely related trope is the Innocent Bigot, who honestly thinks he is not prejudiced due to Values Dissonance, and is thus ignorant rather than a Jerkass. This trope has its roots in the eighteenth-century Enlightenment, when the great minds of the day condemned religious bigotry but viewed racial bigotry as acceptable and even logical. The attitude went mainstream during the Victorian era and then became steadily degraded as it percolated down through the less educated classes. More modern anthropological discoveries during the early twentieth century did much to discredit scientific racism, and then the Holocaust killed it off for good as a topic of serious discussion. In fiction, however, it is alive and well. See also Noble Bigot with a Badge and Boomerang Bigot. Compare Good Is Not Nice. May overlap with Wicked Cultured or Fair for Its Day. May come off as Affably Evil (or even Evilly Affable) to the targets of his prejudice. Examples of Noble Bigot include:
|
