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

2. George Gordon, Lord Byron 1788 - 1824

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

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

7. 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

8. 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 )

9. Byronic Hero ( see page 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 ) 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.

10. 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

11. “She Walks in Beauty” -written about the widow of his cousin, after seeing her in at a gathering

12. 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

13. 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.