Word Count: 1245
Don Juan as Byron Introspective
The works of George Gordon, Lo
rd Byron have long been controversial, nearly as controversial as his lifestyle. Gordon Byron was bo
rn with a clubfoot and his sensitivity to it haunted his life and his works. Despite being a very h
andsome child, a fragile self-esteem made Byron extremely sensitive to criticism, of himself or of h
is poetry and he tended to make enemies rather quickly. The young Byron was often unhappy and lonel
y any many of his works seem to be a sort of introspective therapy. Throughout his writings and lif
e history there is much evidence to suggest that his poetry was greatly influenced by his mental ins
tability. In many ways, Byron seems to use his work as an escape from a difficult reality. The len
gthy poem Don Juan offers an especially intimate glimpse of Byron’s psyche.
In order to understa
nd the depth of Byron’s psychological troubles and their influence on his poetry, it is important to
examine Byron’s heritage and his upbringing. Young George Gordon inherited the title of Lord Byron
at the age of six. This him a rank in society and a bit of wealth to go along with it. Byron’s he
ritage is a colorful one. His paternal line includes the “Wicked Lord”, "Mad Jack and “Fou
l Weather Jack (Grosskurth 6).” The family propensity for eccentric behavior was acerbated by young
George Gordon’s upbringing.
When Byron was just three his financially irresponsible father died
, leaving the family with a heavy burden of debt. Byron’s mother then proudly moved from the meager
lodging in Aberdeen, Scotland to England. Young Byron fell in love with the ghostly halls and spac
ious grounds of Newstead Abbey, which had been presented to the Byron’s by Henry VIII, had received
little care since. He and his mother lived in the run down estate for a while. While in England he
was sent to a “public” school in Nottingham where he was doctored by a quack named Lavender who sub
jected the boy to a torturous and ineffective treatment for his clubfoot (Bloom 45). During this ti
me, young Byron was left in the care of his nurse May Grey. He was subjected to her drunken tantrum
s, beatings, neglect, and sexual liberties (Grosskurth 28). This abuse was not stopped early enough
to protect the boy from psychological injury. Byron confesses to his sister that “My passions were
developed very early- so early that few would believe me (Grosskurth 40).”
Byron also suffered f
rom constant exposure to his mother’s bad temper. Mrs. Byron alternately spoiled her son and abused
him, often calling him a “lame brat (Crompton 82).” Eventually John Hanson, Mrs. Byron’s attorney,
rescued him from the unnatural affections of May Grey, the tortures of Lavender and uneven temper o
f his mother. The effects of his early experiences were to be felt by the poet for many years. “Th
e consequences of these tortured episodes blend into his entire life in the anticipated melancholy t
hat he always experience (Eisler 41).”
At seventeen he entered Cambridge University. Determined t
o overcome his physical handicap, Byron became a good rider, swimmer, boxer, and marksman. He enjoy
ed literature but cared little for other subjects. After graduation he embarked on a grand tour tha
t supplied inspiration for many of his later works. Of the many poems in which Byron reveals detail
s from his own experiences, Don Juan offers the most intimate look into the life of the artist.
Canto I of Don Juan describes Juan’s mother, Donna Inez as being a woman who look’d a lecture, each
eye a sermon (Longman 577).” Donna Inez watched carefully over every detail of her son’s education
and Catherine Byron did the same for her son, attempting in her clumsy way to provide Byron with pre
paration for life as a member of the gentry. “Mrs. Byron became obsessed with making her son perfec
t and he in turn submitted stoically to various forms of torture (Grosskurth 29).” Although the des
cription of Donna Inez is often interpreted as being directed at Byron’s ex-wife, much of Inez’s per
sonality is similar to Catherine’s. It is possible that Byron’s opinion of women was formed by his
exposure to these two and many of his female characters would bear their mark.
In stanza 61 of C
anto I Donna Julia is described with a mixture of affection and sarcasm. Bright with intelligence,
and fair and smooth…her stature tall-I hate a dumpy woman (Longman 586).” Byron begins with a fairl
y conventional description of a pretty girl but ends the stanza with what seems to be a truly backha
nded compliment.
Donna Julia follows the pattern of the idealized heroine. She is portrayed to
be pretty, gentle, sweet, the perfect and passive wife. When she interacts with Don Juan, however D
onna Julia breaks out of the traditional role by being the older woman who is eager to educate young
Juan in the ways of love. Byron thus reverses gender roles and with a sexually mature woman who ac
tively seducing a naive and innocent young man. “Don Juan at sixteen is a pious mamma’s boy, dedica
ted to heaven by a mother from hell (Eisler 612)”. This relates directly to Byron as a youth who ha
d been reared by a suffocating mother and prematurely initiated into sexuality by someone the family
trusted. His mother unknowingly entrusted her son with a viper when she brought Donna Inez into th
e family home. While Donna Julia is not as vicious as May Grey, she took equal advantage of the fam
ily’s trust.
Even more general attributes of this poem and it’s characters reflect details from t
he author’s own life. Juan is able to survive shipwreck because he could swim. Byron was also know
n as an exceptionally strong swimmer. Don Juan embarks on a grand adventure that includes travels v
ery similar to Byron’s own. He has a number of sexual conquests during his journey, as did the rand
y author. Even the naiveté of young Juan is strikingly similar to the shy young George G
ordon.
In Don Juan, Byron says “I want a hero” and he adopts a one from the past. He alters the l
egend of Don Juan to fit his own needs because he cannot find a modern hero that fits the bill. Don
Juan’s character a direct personification of the poet who has grown older and wiser that his young
subject. The author is reflected instead in the many details of the epic drawn from the author’s ow
n experiences. Although Don Juan’s narrator is not purely Byron’s voice, it does seem to speak for
him. The poet expresses himself through his interpretation of the story and by using the voice of t
he narrator to speak for him. Byron’s narrator is always present in the poem, commenting and showin
g off, making quite certain that the he is not being ignored. His voice permeates Don Juan and he a
ppears to be reflecting much of his own life in his creation. Perhaps Byron used this enormous poem
as a catharsis for his trouble emotions; perhaps this is the reason that Don Juan was never finishe
d. It was extended throughout the remainder of the poet’s life. The poem, like Byron’s psychologic
al healing was never finished.
word count juan byron introspective works george gordon lord byron h
ave long been controversial nearly controversial lifestyle gordon byron born with clubfoot sensitivi
ty haunted life works despite being very handsome child fragile self esteem made extremely sensitive
criticism himself poetry tended make enemies rather quickly young often unhappy lonely many works s
eem sort introspective therapy throughout writings life history there much evidence suggest that poe
try greatly influenced mental instability many ways seems work escape from difficult reality lengthy
poem juan offers especially intimate glimpse psyche order understand depth psychological troubles t
heir influence poetry important examine heritage upbringing young george gordon inherited title lord
this rank society wealth along with heritage colorful paternal line includes wicked lord quot jack
foul weather jack grosskurth family propensity eccentric behavior acerbated young george upbringing
when just three financially irresponsible father died leaving family with heavy burden debt mother t
hen proudly moved from meager lodging aberdeen scotland england fell love ghostly halls spacious gro
unds newstead abbey which been presented henry viii received little care since mother lived down est
ate while while england sent public school nottingham where doctored quack named lavender subjected
torturous ineffective treatment clubfoot bloom during this time left care nurse grey subjected drunk
en tantrums beatings neglect sexual liberties grosskurth this abuse stopped early enough protect fro
m psychological injury confesses sister that passions were developed very early early that would bel
ieve grosskurth also suffered constant exposure mother temper alternately spoiled abused often calli
ng lame brat crompton eventually john hanson attorney rescued unnatural affections grey tortures lav
ender uneven temper effects experiences were felt poet many years consequences these tortured episod
es blend into entire life anticipated melancholy always experience eisler seventeen entered cambridg
e university determined overcome physical handicap became good rider swimmer boxer marksman enjoyed
literature cared little other subjects after graduation embarked grand tour supplied inspiration lat
er poems which reveals details experiences juan offers most intimate look into artist canto describe
s donna inez being woman look lecture each sermon longman donna inez watched carefully over every de
tail education catherine same attempting clumsy provide preparation member gentry became obsessed ma
king perfect turn submitted stoically various forms torture although description donna inez often in
terpreted being directed wife much personality similar catherine possible opinion women formed expos
ure these female characters would bear their mark stanza canto julia described mixture affection sar
casm bright intelligence fair smooth stature tall hate dumpy woman longman begins fairly conventiona
l description pretty girl ends stanza what seems truly backhanded compliment julia follows pattern i
dealized heroine portrayed pretty gentle sweet perfect passive wife when interacts however julia bre
aks traditional role older woman eager educate ways love thus reverses gender roles sexually mature
actively seducing naive innocent sixteen pious mamma dedicated heaven hell eisler relates directly y
outh been reared suffocating prematurely initiated into sexuality someone family trusted unknowingly
entrusted viper when brought home while vicious grey took equal advantage trust even more general a
ttributes poem characters reflect details author able survive shipwreck because could swim also know
n exceptionally strong swimmer embarks grand adventure includes travels very similar number sexual c
onquests during journey randy author even naivet eacute strikingly similar says want hero adopts pas
t alters legend needs because cannot find modern hero fits bill character direct personification poe
t grown older wiser subject author reflected instead details epic drawn experiences although narrato
r purely voice does seem speak poet expresses himself through interpretation story using voice narra
tor speak narrator always present poem commenting showing making quite certain ignored voice permeat
es appears reflecting much creation perhaps used enormous catharsis trouble emotions perhaps reason
never finished extended throughout remainder like psychological healing never finishedEssay, essays,
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