Ruins of Byron’s Norman ancestor’s castle, near Horsely, England

George Gordon, Lord Byron 1788 - 1824

St. Mary Magdalene’s Church Site of Byron family burial vault Hucknall, England Site of Byron family burial vault

Sherwood Forest in England Byron’s family home, a former abbey near Sherwood Forest in England

Lord Byron Carefully read the biographical introduction in text. Part of the “2nd Generation Romantics” (Byron, Keats & Shelley) – often known as “The Cult of Youth” – as all died young Born to a family who had a seat in The House of _______, which had a degree of wealth, though it was declining substantially during his generation. He often faced major financial difficulties, and when he did earn money with his poetry or inherit money, he frequently gave it away or managed it poorly Known in part for his flamboyant and often controversial lifestyle

Was once called “mad, bad and dangerous to know” Well-known during his lifetime for his poetry, which was often inspired by his own life experiences Died in _______, while fighting with the _________ for their independence His daughter Ada became a famous mathematician and is credited with writing the world’s first “computer program” ( more information available at http://www.sdsc.edu/ScienceWomen/lovelace.html )

Byronic Hero ( see page 612-616 as well): “An antihero who is a romanticized but [flawed] …a young and attractive male with a bad reputation [who] defies authority and conventional morality, and becomes paradoxically ennobled by his peculiar rejection of [socially-defined] virtue. Byronic heroes are associated with destructive passions, sometimes selfish brooding or indulgence in personal pains, alienation from their communities, persistent loneliness, intense introspection, and fiery rebellion.” ( from http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/lit_terms_B.html ) YET – others are often drawn to their often inexplicable allure… And, these characters are capable of selflessness, strikingly so, at times. As seen in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, which Byron initially wrote as a work “about” a character, but he later shifted the point-of-view to reveal the autobiographical elements of the work… Thus, the term Byronic Hero is not only used to describe characters the poet created; it is also used to describe Byron himself.

Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage A lengthy _________ written somewhat in the form of a travelogue, and published in installments, over time Well-known and widely read - re. its immediate success Byron said, “I awoke one morning and found myself _________." Protagonist is the _______ character, but after the first few chapters, Byron drops the thinly-veiled autobiographical third-person persona to write in 1st person Commentary on many aspects of the era are found within the poem, including the French Revolution

“She Walks in Beauty” -written about the widow of his cousin, after seeing her in at a gathering http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43EAM5flh8o http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/douglass/music/SheWalks.mp3

Don Juan Satirical _______ poem, and title is pronounced with a “j” sound, not a “w”, which would have been phonetically correct & “proper” Also originally published in installments Brief overview available at http://litmed.med.nyu.edu/Annotation?action=view&annid=12479

Letter to P.B. Shelley 1821 Byron was friends with P.B. and Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley, frequently living with them. He and Mary’s sister had a child together, who is referenced in the letter. This is not Ada, referenced earlier. This child died young. Note Byron’s discussions of his thoughts on poetry – his own, Keats’, Shelley’s and others. Though he wrote less “literary criticism” than STC & WW, his letters give insight into his ideas on the craft of poetry. Note also Byron’s commentaries on political and social issues of the time.