“But 'why then publish?' There are no rewards Of fame or profit when the world grows weary. I ask in turn why do you play at cards? Why drink? Why read? To make some hour less dreary. It occupies me to turn back regards On what I've seen or pondered, sad or cheery, And what I write I cast upon the stream To swim or sink. I have had at least my dream.”
Lord Byron's Don Juan is a sprawling epic poem written in ottava rima, composed over several years until the author's death. Unlike traditional portrayals of Don Juan as a predatory seducer, Byron's protagonist is depicted as a handsome but largely unwitting figure who is seduced by others and drifts through a variety of amorous and picaresque encounters. The poem blends comedy, romance, and sharp social satire, targeting hypocrisy in politics, religion, and society. It ranges across settings from Spain to Greece, Turkey, Russia, and England, offering a panoramic view of early 19th-century European mores. The work is noted for its digressive style, witty narrator, and irreverent tone, and it remains one of the most celebrated examples of Romantic satire. more
Lord Byron, born on January 22, 1788, and died on April 19, 1824, was a prominent English Romantic poet. His poetry is characterized by its strong personality and passion, and has had a profound impact on literature. more
“...something was starting to take shape, out of magic and will. Smoke and bone.”
“Things aren't good or bad in and of themselves. It's what we do with them that makes them so.”