Bortot,Boscolo,Cravotto,Ferrero,Loiacono,Stan
Don Juan’s first love affair
2.a. Don Juan is tall but well built almost as a man, but he is only an attractive adolescent of sixteen years
who is seduced by a noble woman.
Donna Julia is a sensual woman and apparently innocent. She plays an active role in the episode, in fact she
is the one who takes the first step with Don Juan. She is also astute because she manages to lie to her
husband, Don Alfonso, despite the situation.
2.b. Don Juan’s mother believes that her son is not yet a man. When she heard somebody talking about his
precociousness she bit her lips for her rage. Another humorous line is represented by the ironical rhyme at
the end of second stanza “Cupid… Stupid”
3. The joke is based on the age of Donna Julia’s husband. Instead of a 50 year-old man the woman prefers
two 25 year-old husbands.
7. Some example of humour in this poem are “And bit her lips…”, “(But the last simile is trite and
stupid…)”. “’T were better to have two of five-and-twenty”, “Dare you suspect me, whom the thought would
kill?”, “How dare you think your lady would go on so?”
The way in which by Byron transformed the Don Juan Myth:
Don Juan is Byron’s masterpiece. Although it’s written as if he was putting down thoughts and words, it’s
not a colloquial poem. The satirical effect is given by a language of classical elegance. This work gives us a
portrait of Byron’s contemporary society, plenty of abuses and lack of loyalty, love and compassion.
There is a contrast between the Spanish Don Juan and Byron’s one. The first one is a libertine in search of
pleasure, especially with women, without any form of regard. He is a “burlador” who mocks everything and
has no respect for religion, moral and social codes. He even dares to mock a dead. On the other hand we
have Byron’s Don Juan who, although he has many adventures is not a libertine. He is a passive character,
particularly with women, in fact he is always the seduced and never the seducer. He opposes his perfect
candor and his natural honesty to the hypocrisy and falsity of the people he meets.
Summary
The story tells the love story between Donna Julia and Don Juan, a sixteen years-old adolescent, who is
seduced by the older woman. Donna Julia was really charming but she was already married with Don
Alfonso, a 50 year-old man. Don Alfonso wasn’t able to satisfy Donna Julia’s needs, in fact she thought that
it would have been better to have two 25 year-old husbands instead of one of fifty.
One night Don Alfonso came back earlier with his friends and servants to find evidence of Donna Julia’s
betrayal. Fortunately the two lovers were warned by Antonia, a maid loyal to Donna Julia. So Don Juan
hides under the blankets. Suddenly Don Alfonso broke into the room and started the search for Don Juan.
Don Alfonso and his fellowship searched everywhere in the room except in the bed. During this search
Donna Julia continued to cry against her husband and threatened him with divorce. Finally Donna Julia
managed to calm down her husband and he begged for her forgiveness. But when Don Alfonso found a pair
of male shoes in the room, he left the room and ran off to take his sword. At the same time Don Juan fled;
During his escape he met Don Alfonso that threatened to kill him and so Don Juan knocked him down and
ran away.