Showing results by author "Lord George Byron" in All Categories

Hours of Idleness was Byron's first book of poems published when he was only 19. In it he experiments with various poetic styles and provides translations of, and poems written in imitation of, earlier mainly classical poets. The book received strong criticism on publication to which Byron responded with his poem English Bards and Scotch Reviewers. (Summary by Alan Mapstone)

English Bards and Scotch Reviewers was first published anonymously in 1809 with Byron only identified as the author in the 2nd edition. Byron wrote this satire after his first book of poems Hours of Idleness received "strong censure" in the Edinburgh Review. Byron used heroic couplets in imitation of Alexander Pope's The Dunciad to attack the reigning poets of romanticism, including Wordsworth and Coleridge. Byron suppressed this work after the 5th edition, possibly because he came to regret some of the criticism that he had made. (Summary by Alan Mapstone and wikipedia)

Here is a bitterly sarcastic poem wherein a jilted Lord Byron spits out his distain for his estranged wife, Lady Byron, laying a curse upon her, accusing her of being a "moral Clytemnestra" (wife of Agamemnon, who conspired with her lover Aegisthus to murder her husband). The Byrons were only together 2 years before she fled to the safety of her parents' estate with their infant daughter and refused to see him henceforth, due to his debauchery, cruelty, and profligate spending of her money. Lord Byron was run out of Parlaiment and fled England for his scandalous behavior, and especially for ...

Today Byron is regarded as the ultimate romantic - a rebel, a Casanova, and a man of intense, brooding passion. He was the most famous literary man of his time, and his poetry, endlessly witty and often insightful, was immensely popular and hugely influential. From the delicate romanticism of "She Walks in Beauty" to the evocative reflections of "So We’ll Go No More a Roving", Byron’s poems were unrivaled in their power and potency.

Immerse yourself in Manfred, a haunting dramatic poem in three acts by Lord Byron that delves deep into the psyche of its titular character. Manfred, a tormented nobleman, grapples with the haunting memories of an unspeakable crime, seeking solace in the vastness of nature as he wanders between his castle and the imposing mountains. Throughout his journey, he encounters various figures—both human and supernatural—who attempt to guide him toward redemption. This compelling poem explores profound themes of morality, guilt, religion, and the complex nature of the human condition. (Summary by ...

Experience the captivating world of Don Juan, a remarkable narrative poem by Lord Byron that loosely explores the legend of the notorious seducer, Don Juan. The first two of the eventual seventeen Cantos were released anonymously in July 1819, igniting a firestorm of scandal, admiration, and laughter. Often hailed as his crowning achievement, this self-proclaimed epic remained unfinished at Byrons death, yet it continues to resonate with modern critics and audiences alike. Join us as we delve into this literary masterpiece, brought to life by Peter Gallagher.

A collection of spine chilling short stories by M. R. James, Saki, Lord Byron, and Ambrose Bierce.

Childe Harold's Pilgrimage is a lengthy narrative poem in four parts written by Lord Byron. It was published between 1812 and 1818 and is dedicated to "Ianthe". The poem describes the travels and reflections of a world-weary young man who, disillusioned with a life of pleasure and revelry, looks for distraction in foreign lands. In a wider sense, it is an expression of the melancholy and disillusionment felt by a generation weary of the wars of the post-Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras. The title comes from the term childe, a medieval title for a young man who was a candidate for knighthood. ...

Juan, captured by Turkish pirates and sold into slavery is bought by a beautiful Princess as her toy-boy. Dressed as an odalisque, he is smuggled into the Sultan's harem for a steamy assignation. Unbelievably, Byron's publisher almost baulked at this feast of allusive irony, blasphemy (mild), calumny, scorn, lesse-majeste, cross-dressing, bestiality, assassination, circumcision and dwarf-tossing. This was the last Canto published by the stuffy John Murray (who had, however, made a tidy fortune on the earlier parts of the Epic). Although Byron's mood starts, after this, to grow darker and his ...

Childe Harold's Pilgrimage is a narrative poem in four parts written by Lord Byron. It was published between 1812 and 1818. The poem describes the travels and reflections of a world-weary young man who, disillusioned with a life of pleasure and revelry, looks for distraction in foreign lands. In a wider sense, it is an expression of the melancholy and disillusionment felt by a generation weary of the wars of the post-Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras. The title comes from the term Childe, a medieval title for a young man who was a candidate for knighthood. Canto III describes Harold's travels ...

Childe Harold's Pilgrimage is a narrative poem in four parts written by Lord Byron. It was published between 1812 and 1818. The poem describes the travels and reflections of a world-weary young man who, disillusioned with a life of pleasure and revelry, looks for distraction in foreign lands. In a wider sense, it is an expression of the melancholy and disillusionment felt by a generation weary of the wars of the post-Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras. The title comes from the term Childe, a medieval title for a young man who was a candidate for knighthood. Cantos I & ΙΙ describes Harold's ...

Childe Harold's Pilgrimage is a lengthy narrative poem in four parts written by Lord Byron. It was published between 1812 and 1818 and is dedicated to "Ianthe". The poem describes the travels and reflections of a world-weary young man who, disillusioned with a life of pleasure and revelry, looks for distraction in foreign lands. In a wider sense, it is an expression of the melancholy and disillusionment felt by a generation weary of the wars of the post-Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras. The title comes from the term childe, a medieval title for a young man who was a candidate for knighthood. ...

LibriVox volunteers bring you 12 recordings of The Castled Crag of Drachenfels, by George Gordon, Lord Byron. This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for September 5, 2021. ------ The Castled Crag at Drachenfels is a 4-verse poem embedded in Canto 3 of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage by Lord Byron. It is thought to be addressed to his half-sister Augusta Leigh, by whom he was believed to have fathered a child. The Drachenfels crag overlooks the town of Kornigswinter on the river Rhine in Germany, just south of Bonn. - Summary by Alan Mapstone

Lord Byron visited the Castle of Chillon on Lake Geneva in Switzerland in 1816 and was intrigued by the legend of Francis Bonnivard who was said to have been imprisoned there in medieval times. The title poem of this collection was written in response to that visit. Originally published in 1816 this collection was extended after Byron's death. The final poem was written on his 36th birthday, just 3 months before he died. - Summary by Alan Mapstone

Byron wrote the Hebrew Melodies to accompany music by the composer Isaac Nathan which he claimed derived from Synagogue tunes used at the time of the Temple in Jerusalem, although it is likely that most of the music was from more recent European sources. While some of the poems are based on stories from the Book of Job most have no specific religious or Hebrew connotations. The poems were widely admired, influencing works by Heine and Lermontov and being set to music by composers including Mendelssohn, Schumann and Mussorgsky. (Summary by Alan Mapstone)

Byron wrote this tribute to the great 14th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri after visiting his tomb in Ravenna in 1819. It envisages Dante prophesying the future of Italy just before his death. The poem is written in Terza Rima, the complex 3-line rhyme scheme used by Dante in his Divina Commedia (Summary by Alan Mapstone)

In this evocative poem, Byron captures the heart-wrenching final stand of the Venetians as the Ottoman army launches its assault on Acrocorinth. The narrative unfolds through the eyes of Lanciotto, a Venetian renegade now fighting for the Ottomans, and Francesca, the enchanting daughter of the Venetian garrisons governor, Minotti. Having initially been spurned by Minotti when he sought Francescas hand, Lanciotto fled his homeland after being falsely accused through the notorious Lions Mouth at the Doges palace. Now under the Turkish banner, he has forsaken both his nationality and faith. Yet, ...

In his later years, Byron masterfully weaves the tale of the infamous mutiny aboard the Bounty in his narrative poem, The Island. This gripping story follows the rebellious crew as they escape to a remote South Sea island, which they come to see as their guilt-won Paradise. Join us as we delve into themes of freedom, guilt, and the search for redemption. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett)

Childe Harolds Pilgrimage is a captivating narrative poem composed in four parts by the renowned Lord Byron, published between 1812 and 1818 and dedicated to the enigmatic Ianthe. This poem captures the journey and introspections of a young man, world-weary and disenchanted with a life filled with fleeting pleasures, as he seeks solace and distraction in distant lands. Through its verses, the poem poignantly reflects the melancholy and disillusionment experienced by a generation scarred by the turmoil of the post-Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras. The title Childe refers to a medieval ...

Childe Harolds Pilgrimage is a captivating narrative poem in four parts penned by the illustrious Lord Byron between 1812 and 1818. This poignant work chronicles the journey of a young man, Childe Harold, who, disenchanted with a life filled with excess and indulgence, seeks solace and meaning in distant lands. It reflects the deep-seated melancholy and disillusionment of a generation weary from the tumultuous aftermath of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. The title Childe is derived from a medieval term denoting a young man aspiring for knighthood. In Cantos I and II, we follow Harold as...