LORD BYRON (GEORGE GORDON)

(1788-1824)

Biography

George Gordon Byron (1788-1824) was an Anglo-Scottish romantic poet as famous for his personality as for his poetry. He had an intensive even short life, love affairs, debts, separations, accusations of incest and sodomy. As a writer, he was famous for his own concept of the “Byronic hero”, a character with very different characteristics, virtues as a great talent and passion or lacks as an obscure past and self-destructive behaviour.

Lord Byron was born in London on 22 January 1788, son of Catherine Gordon of Gight and Captain John ("Mad Jack") Byron. From his mother did inherit her affection, her sweetness and her temperament, and from his father his debts, his love for beauty, his cult for courtesy and the pleasure for the same style of life.

His childhood stands out for his lack of stability. He travelled from one side to another, his father was died, his mother suffered because of his loss. The relationship between Byron and his mother became a difficult relation which he described as a relation of punches and kisses. Besides, when he was nine years old had a governess, Mary Gray, which initiated him in sex at an early age.

His first work was “Hours of Idleness” in 1806 a series of poems that “are the fruits of the lighter hours of a young man who has lately completed his nineteenth year. As they bear the internal evidence of a boyish mind, this is, perhaps, unnecessary information. Some few were written during the disadvantages of illness and depression of spirits: under the former influence, 'Childish Recollections,' in particular, were composed. ” In that way the own Byron introduces it in the preface of the first publication of his work.

But his first great literary triumph came with the publication of the first two cantos of “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage” in 1812, poem “written, for the most part, amidst the scenes which it attempts to describe. It was begun in Albania; and the parts relative to Spain and Portugal were composed from the author's observations in those countries. Thus much it may be necessary to state for the correctness of the descriptions. The scenes attempted to be sketched are in Spain, Portugal, Epirus, Acarnania, and Greece.” contra As Byron explains, we can see they would be complexes. Since this publication Byron became to be an important and adored person of society.

In 1816 he had a daughter who would be called Augusta Ada and he was left by his wife Anna Isabella, who knew about his affairs. The rumours, some allegations, his no patriotic poems caused Byron started to travel round Europe.

In the same year went to Switzerland and he was living with Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Shelley some time. In a period of illness and depression he wrote “The Prisioner of Chillon”, “The Dream”…

From 1817 to 1822 he was travelling round Italy; he was in the cities as Pisa or Rome. In these years many things happened a different level, as political as literary. He published some works more as “Manfred” and “The Prophecy of Dante”, he created a newspaper with Shelley The Liberal and he participated in some movements against the Pope.

In 1822 his illegitimate daughter Allegra died only five years old, his friend Percy also died, in a shipwreck. In 1823 became a representative member of the movement for the Greek independence.

At the age of 36 years old Byron died on 19 April due to an illness and its supposed remedy. He died young as all Byron men; it seemed to be a curse.

References:

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_byron#Character -- it’s the Wikipedia, it isn’t necessary to say nothing more.

- http://www.photoaspects.com/chesil/byron/hours1.html -- a site where you can read “Hours of Idleness” and other works from other authors.

- http://www.photoaspects.com/chesil/byron/childe1.html -- a site where you can read “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage” and other works from other authors.

- http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/byron.htm -- a site where you can find information about many different authors.

- http://www.online-literature.com/byron -- a site we have seen in class, you can find his biography and part of his poetry. Remember this site if you need information about some author.

- http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poet.html?id=81299 – a site with good information about poetry and its authors.