A subtrope of
Hobos, The Tramp is a romanticized vagrant. He rarely has any significant material possessions. He survives from day to day
via grifting, mooching, petty thievery, and playing off others' sympathies. He's usually quite intelligent, though, and generally won't do anything truly horrible.
Walking the Earth is part and parcel of a Tramp character — if he stays in one place he's not a Tramp.
If the heroes are looking for a down-to-Earth character to restore their faith in humanity, the Tramp can usually do it. He's also usually well-connected, with other tramps; they form something of a cooperative union.
In some works, the existence of the Tramp can be proof of a
Crapsack World.
Tramps are sometimes portrayed as straight villains, but this role usually falls to
Crazy Homeless People in modern fiction.
The Tramp is most common in works
Older Than Television.
Examples:
Anime and Manga
Film
- The best known characters portrayed by Charlie Chaplin fall under this type (and, in fact, "the Tramp" is often the closest thing the character has to a name). Before Hilarity Ensues, the Chaplin character can often be found trying to think of a way to get dinner, but he will jump at the chance for a paying job when it comes up.
- The Tramp character of Walt Disney's Lady and the Tramp. Although he is, admittedly, a dog.
- Both versions of My Man Godfrey, though the forgotten man aka tramp, started out rich, goes on to be a tramp, makes the money back and uses it to help the other tramps. oh and marries the pretty rich girl.
- The title character in Aladdin is like this, a tramp and beggar living on the streets off his own wit and what he can con/steal; until he gets the lamp, at least.
Literature
