A STUDY O F B Y R O N ' S A P P R O A C H E S TO

R E A L I T Y I N D O N J U A N

A P P R O V E D :

Ma J o J

M i n o r P r o f e s s o r

D i r e c t o r oJ: t:s.? D e p a r t m e n t of E n g l i s h

Dean of the Graduate-; School

A STUDY O.t* BYRON'S A P P R O A C H E S TO

R E A L I T Y IN DON JUAN

THESIS

P r eser i tcd to trie G r a d u a t e Counc i l of the

Norl l i T e x a s S ta te U n i v e r s i t y in P a r t i a l

F u l f i l l m e n t of the R e a u i r e m e n l s

F o r the D e g r e e of

M A S T E R O F A R T S

r»y

Ot icc C. S i r e y , B.

Denton , T e x a s

Aog\i.;i,

T A B L E OF C O N T E N T S

P a g e C h a p t e r

I. BYRON'S P R E S E N T A T I O N O F R E A L I T Y IN DON JUAN 1

II. THE A P P E A L F O R R E A L I T Y IN LOVE AND MARRIAGE 18

III. A R E A L I S T I C A P P R A I S A L O F WAR AND D E S P O T I S M " . . 38

IV. A R E A L I S T I C A P P R A I S A L OF ENGLISH F R E E D O M , M O R A L I T Y , AND SOCIETY 55

V. THE F U N C T I O N A L R E A L I T Y IN DON JUAN . . . . . . . . . . 75

BIBLIOGRAPHY 85

C H A P T E R i

BYRON'S P R E S E N T A T I O N O F R E A L I T Y

IN DON J U A N

L o r d B y r o n f s l a s t m a j o r w o r k w a s Don Juan , a p o e m which

r e p r e s e n t e d h i s u n c o m p r o m i s i n g e f f o r t to d i s p l a c e the p o e t r y of

s e n t i m e n t wi th the p o e t r y of h o n e s t y , f a c t u a l i t y , and t r u t h . B y r o n

. r e b e l l e d a g a i n s t the b a s i c d i s h o n e s t y w h i c h p e r v a d e d h i s soc i e ty ;

h y p o c r i s y and can t , and the soc i a l s t i m u l u s wh ich n o u r i s h e d t h e s e

u n r e a l i s t i c a t t i t u d e s , w e r e the t a r g e t s of h i s p r r » r e v o l u t i o n . Don

J u a n was B y r o n ' s e f f o r t to c o m e to t e r m s with the r e a l i t y of h i s own

e n v i r o n m e n t , and he d e m a n d e d the l i b e r t y to t r y to u n d e r s t a n d l i f e and

to p r e s e n t h i s c o n c l u s i o n s wi thou t e d i t o r i a l o r s o c i a l o p p r e s s i o n ,

B y r o n r e a l i z e d t ha t t he r e a l i t y f o r w h i c h he w a s s e a r c h i n g could be

a p p r o a c h e d only when m a n h o n e s t l y a t t e m p t s to s ee l i f e e x a c t l y a s it i s ,

when he c o m p r e h e n d s a p p e a r a n c e s and the f i c t ion of c u s t o m . Don J u a n

i s an e x a m i n a t i o n of the p r o b l e m of a p p e a r a n c e and r e a l i t y ; a s a s a t i r e ,

the p o e m a t t a c k s a p p e a r a n c e s m a i n t a i n e d by h y p o c r i s y by p l ac ing t h e m

a g a i n s t the b a c k g r o u n d of r e a l i t y w h i c h Is a p p a r e n t to B y r o n :

But t hen the f a c t ! s a f a c t —and ' t i s the p a r t Of a t r u e poe t to e s c a p e f r o m f i c t ion

W h e n e ' e r he can ; f o r t h e r e is l i t t l e a r t In l e a v i n g v e r s e m o r e f r e e f r o m the r e s t r i c t i o n

Of t r u t h t h a n p r o s e , u n l e s s to su i t the m a r t F o r wha t is s o m e t i m e s c a l l e d p o e t i c d i c t ion ,

And t h a t o u t r a g e o u s a p p e t i t e f o r l i e s Which Sa tan a n g l e s wi th , f o r s o u l s , l i ke f l i e s .

Without , o r wi th , o f f e n s e to f r i e n d s o r f o e s , I s k e t c h y o u r w o r l d e x a c t l y a s it g o e s . j

(viii, 86, 89)

A s tudy of the thought in th i s d i g r e s s i v e poem, r e v e a l s B y r o n 1 s ub iqu i tous

s k e p t i c i s m and doubt and h i s be l ie f in m a n ' s i n c a p a c i t y to a r r i v e a t

c e r t a i n knowledge . B y r o n does not a t t e m p t to f ind one r e a l i t y ; h i s

' f o c u s is a w i d e r s c o p e of s e v e r a l i n t e r d e p e n d e n t r e a l i t i e s , s t r i p p e d of

a p p e a r a n c e s and d i s t i l l e d f r o m l i f e . B y r o n ' s s a t i r e u n c o v e r s the r e a l icy

which s o c i e t y h a s c o n v e n i e n t l y f o r g o t t e n and r e p l a c e d wi th h y p o c r i s y in

t h e i r m a r r i a g e s and u n n a t u r a l c o n c e p t of love , in t h e i r p a t r i o t i c

a p p r o v a l of a g g r e s s i v e w a r s and m i l i t a r y h e r o e s , in t h e i r s a n c t i o n of

t y r a n n y and d e s p o t i s m and s u p p r e s s i o n of r e v o l u t i o n , and in the E n g l i s h

s e l f - a p p r o v a l of t h e i r m o r a l i t y , f r e e d o m , and s o c i a l s u p e r i o r i t y a m o n g

the h i g h e r c l a s s e s .

With Beppo and Don J u a n , B y r o n r e t u r n e d to the sa . t i r ic p o e t r y

by which he had f i r s t won r e c o g n i t i o n wi th E n g l i s h B a r d s and Scotch

R e v i e w e r s in 3 809. Th i s s a t i r e was the a n g r y r e s p o n s e to the

G e o r g e Gordon,. L o r d B y r o n , A V a r i o r u m E d i t i o n : C a n t o s VI-HI of Byron 1 s i !Don Juan , !! e d i t e d by T r u m a n G. S t e f f an and

Wi l l i s W. P r a t t , 4 v o l s . (Aus t in , 1957), pp. 154, 156. H e r e a f t e r c i ted a s Don J u a n , III.

u n f a v o r a b l e c r i t i c a l r e v i e w s of h i s f i r v o l u m e of p o e t r y , H o n r s £f

I d l e n e s s , p u b l i s h e d two y e a r s e a r l i e r . A f t e r t ak ing h i s s e a t in the

H o u s e of L o r d s in 1809, B y r o n d e p a r t e d wi th J o h n C a m Hobhouse on a

t o u r of the N e a r E a s t , and it w a s d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d tha t Byron, t u r n e d

f r o m s a t i r e to s e n t i m e n t . He b e g a n the c o m p o s i t i o n of Chi lde Ha ro ld 1 s

P i l g r i m a g e which w a s the m a j o r p r o d u c t i o n of the m i d d l e y e a r s of h i s

p o e t i c c a r e e r , t ha t t i m e p r i o r to h i s u n f o r t u n a t e m a r r i a g e and d u r i n g

the f i r s t y e a r s of h i s s e l f - i m p o s e d ex i l e in I t a ly a f t e r the s c a n d a l o u s

s e p a r a t i o n . Can tos I and II of Chi lde H a r o l d ' s P i l g r i m a g e w e r e

p u b l i s h e d in 1812; Can to III w a s p u b l i s h e d in 1816, the y e a r of h i s s e c o n d ,

and f i na l , d e p a r t u r e f r o m E n g l a n d ; Canto IV w a s p u b l i s h e d in 1818, Th i s

y e a r m a r k e d a s i g n i f i c a n t po in t in B y r o n ' s c a r e e r , f o r Beppo w a s a l s o

i n t r o d u c e d in 1818, wi th C a n t o s I and II of Don J u a n fo l lowing a y e a r l a t e r .

The c o n c u r r e n c e of s a t i r e and s e n t i m e n t in 1818 r e v e a l s not only Byron 5 s

v e r s a t i l i t y but p e r h a p s s o m e critical i n d e c i s i o n c o n c e r n i n g wh ich w a s the

b e t t e r s ty le f o r h i s p a r t i c u l a r p o e t i c g e n i u s . In a l e t t e r of S e p t e m b e r 15,

1817, he v / ro te to h i s p u b l i s h e r , John M u r r a y ;

I look upon Chi lde H a r o l d a s my b e s t ; and a s I begun , I th ink of conc lud ing wi th it . But I m a k e no r e s o l u t i o n on tha t head . . . . H o w e v e r , I f e a r t ha t I s h a l l n e v e r do b e t t e r ; and ye t , not be ing t h i r t y y e a r s of age , f o r s o m e m o o n s to c o m e , one ought to be p r o g r e s s i v e a s f a r a s I n t e l l e c t goes fo r m a n y a good y e a r . But I have had a d e v i l i s h dea l of w e a r and t e a r of m i n d and body in m y t i i r e , b e s i d e s hav ing p u b l i s h e d too o f t e n and m u c h

a l r e a d y . God g r a n t m e s o m e j u d g m e n t ! to do wha t m a y be m o s t f i t t i ng in tha t arid e v e r y th ing e l s e , f o r I doubt m y own e x c e e d i n g ! / .

By ron a p p a r e n t l y cou ld not be s a t i s f i e d wi th s e n t i m e n t , and when he

r e t u r n e d to s a t i r e , he v/as a r m e d wi th a g r e a t e r m a t u r i t y and o b j e c t i v i t y

t han had b e e n p r e s e n t in h i s you th fu l E n g l i s h B a r d s and Scotch R e v i e w e r s ,

He r e t a i n e d h i s a n g e r , d i r e c t e d th is t i m e a t h i s f o r m e r s o c i e t y , and

c h a n n e l e d it, wi th h is con t inu ing p a s s i o n f o r r e a l i t y and f r e e d o m f r o m

o p p r e s s ion, into a p r o d u c t i o n which took h i m to the h e i g h t of h i s p o e t i c

c a r e e r wi th Don J u a n :

His m a i n a c h i e v e m e n t l i e s . . . in h i s s a t i r e s in o t t a v a r i m a , f o r h i s d i s c o v e r y of the Beppo s t y l e t r a n s f o r m e d h i m , a l m o s t o v e r n i g h t , into a m a j o r poe t , and he r e t a i n s t h i s s t a t u s only so long a s he c o n f i n e s h i m s e l f to tha.t s t y l e - - it w a s an e s s e n t i a l cond i t i on of h i s g r e a t 3 3 . e s s , t he one m e d i u m tha t a l l o w e d h i s gen ius i t s f u l l s c o p e . ~

Within the s c o p e of h i s gen ius c a m e a s a t i r e on the a b a s e s of s o c i e t y

wh ich had t h e i r r o o t s in the u n r e a l i t y of h y p o c r i s y .

Don J u a n r e p r e s e n t s no t only a change in s ty l e f o r B y r o n but a

n e w e m p h a s i s on h i s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y a s a poe t . The t hough t s B y r o n

e x p r e s s e s in th i s p o e m a r e not in t h e m s e l v e s e s s e n t i a l l y new, a s t h e y

^ , T "1 "1"*

G e o r g e Gordon , L o r d B y r o n , g e t t e r s and J o u r n a l s , Vol. IV of The Wo r k s of L o r d B y r o n , ed i t ed by Rov/1 and E , P r o t h c r o , 1 3 v o l s , (New York , 1966), 1 68. H e r e a f t e r c i t e d a s L e t t e r s and J o u r n a l s , IV.

3 A n d r e w R u t h e r f o r d , B y r o n ; A C r i t i c a l Study (S tan fo rd , 1961),

p, x iL

have a p p e a r e d in h i s e a r l i e r w o r k s , He denounced w a r s of o p p r e s s i o n

and p r a i s e d w a r s of l i b e r a t i o n in the t h i r d c a n t o of Ch i lde H a r o l d 1 s

P i l g r i m a g e with the s a m e v i g o r , and f o r the s a m e r e a s o n s , tha t one f i nds

in e s p e c i a l l y the s e v e n t h and e igh th c a n t o s of Don J u a n . H o w e v e r , the

m a n n e r in wh ich he p r e s e n t s h i s i d e a s is s i g n i f i c a n t l y d i f f e r e n t in h i s

l a t e r w o r k . Chi lde H a r o l d 1 s r a t h e r g e n e r a l d i s a p p r o v a l of t he d e s t r u c t i o n

tha t is a p a r t of w a r and d e s p o t i s m , even though p r e s e n t e d wi th r e a l i s m ,

could not h a v e the i m p a c t t h a t a c o m b a t a n t ' s v iew of the s a m e d e s t r u c t i o n

o c c u r r i n g a r o u n d hi rn would h a v e on B y r o n ' s r e a d e r s . His c o n d e m n a t i o n

of s o c i a l ev i l s is a i d e d in Don J u a n by a new s y n t h e s i s of h i s e a r l i e r s t y l e s

wh ich m a k e s the r e a l i t y he p o r t r a y s not s i m p l y a c r e a t i v e e x e r c i s e bul. a

n e c e s s a r y and i n t e g r a l p a r t of h i s c o n s t r u c t i v e s a t i r e :

^n PQ n- J u a n a r e p e r f e c t l y b l e n d e d f o r the f i r s t t i m e in B y r o n ' s p o e t r y the s e v e r a l e l e m e n t s of the s e r i o c o m i c s t r a i n - - t h e cool s a r c a s m , t he s e r i o u s r e f l e c t i o n , the b i z a r r e w i t - - w h i c h had a p p e a r e d s ing ly o r | n u n f u s e d c o m b i n a t i o n in s o m e of h i s e a r l i e r p o e t r y .

His n e w e s t p r o d u c t i o n is a f u s i o n of e a r l i e r t hough t s and s a t i r i c s t y l e s ,

and he a p p r o a c h e s t h e r e a d e r wi th the d e t a c h e d s o p h i s t i c a t i o n of

m a t u r i t y o r the p a s s i o n of a r e v o l u t i o n i s t , s o m e t i m e s h u m o r o u s s o m e -

t i m e s s e r i o u s , but a l w a y s wi th a s k e p t i c and doubt ing a t t i t u d e which

i n s i s t s on a r e a l i s t i c a p p r a i s a l of e v e r y t h i n g .

4 P a u l G, T r u e b l o o d , The p o w e r i n g of B y r o n ' s Gen ius (S t an fo rd .

1945), pp. 1 - 2 .

E d w a r d M a r j a r u m ' s B y r o n a s Skept ic and B e l i e v e r o f f e r s a j u d i c i o u s

a c c o u n t of B y r o n ' s doubt and s k e p t i c i s m , i t s s o u r c e s , and i t s i n f l u e n c e

on Don jJua_n and o t h e r w o r k s of h i s l a t e r p r o d u c t i v e p e r i o d . His c a r e f u l

e x a m i n a t i o n of B y r o n ' s thought r e v e a l s the s a m e c o n t r a d i c t i o n s and

p a r a d o x e s w h i c h a r e so c o m m o n in h i s l i f e . " T h e u n c e r t a i n l igh t of h i s

' v e r s i f i e d a u r o r a b o r e a l i s ' s h i n e s m o m e n t a r i l y f r o m a l m o s t e v e r y q u a r t e r ,

5

and nothing r e m a i n s long in s h a r p r e l i e f . . . . 11 H o w e v e r , t he s i n c e r i t y

of B y r o n ' s con f l i c t i ng s t a t e m e n t s m u s t be a c c e p t e d a s m u t u a l l y va l i d if

one is to c o m e to a p r o p e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g of h i s p o e t r y and h i s i d e a s .

B y r o n ' s s k e p t i c i s m b e g a n e a r l y , and it c e n t e r e d m o s t o f t en on r e l i g i o u s

d o c t r i n e s and the c o n f l i c t s a m o n g the d i f f e r i n g s e c t s . As he m a t u r e d ,

B y r o n ' s s e a r c h f o r t r u t h w a s m a r k e d by v a r i o u s f o r m s of s k e p t i c i s m ,

l e a d i n g to an i n c r e a s e d p r e o c c u p a t i o n wi th t h e t h e o r y of k n o w l e d g e .

" B y r o n w a s not b e c o m i n g a c r i t i c a l e p i s t e m o l o g i s t ; bu t i n t e l l e c t u a l

m a t u r i t y had b r o u g h t wi th it a m o r e a c u t e and p e r s i s t e n t a t t e n t i o n to the

p r o b l e m s of knowledge t h a n i s e l s e w h e r e ev iden t in h i s p o e t r y . His

e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l t h e o r i e s c o r r e s p o n d , a c c o r d i n g to M a r j a r u m , to t h o s e 7

of B e r k e l e y , Kant , and the G e r m a n p h i l o s o p h e r s who fo l lowed t h e m .

B y r o n ' s e x a m i n a t i o n of v a r i o u s t h e o r i e s of knowledge l ed h i m s t e a d i l y 5

E d w a r d W. M a r j a r u m , B y r o n a s Skept ic and B e l i e v e r ( P r i n c e t o n , 1938), p . 40.

6 . 7 Ibid. I b i d . , p, 41.

" t o w a r d the e v o l u t i o n a r y concept: tha t t r u t h i s not s t a t i c but d y n a m i c or

8

d e v e l o p m e n t a l . n T h e r e f o r e , m a n is i n c a p a b l e of c o m p r e h e n d i n g

a b s o l u t e knowledge ; e v e n h i s i d e a s of t i m e and s p a c e a r e c o n d i t i o n s of 9

p e r c e p t i o n , not o b j e c t i v e r e a l i t y . 11 H u m a n i d e a s h a v e only a subject ive-

va l i d i t y . F r o m s p e c i f i c s k e p t i c i s m of r e l i g i o u s t r a d i t i o n he h a s c o m e

to a s k e p t i c i s m which i m p l i e s t h a t the f r u i t s of h u m a n r e a s o n i n g a r e 10

only s u g g e s t i v e o r s y m b o l i c , no t f i n a l . n

Man s e e s what s o c i e t y d e m a n d s t h a t he see , and he a c c e p t s t ha t

v i r t u a l w o r l d . B y r o n a s k s m a n to look t h r o u g h a d i f f e r e n t s e t of p r i s m s ,

and a s the p r i s m s a r e c h a n g e d , r e a l i t y and t r u t h g ive off d i f f e r e n t c o l o r s

o r a p p e a r a n c e s . T h e s e m a n i f e s t a t i o n s , s u p e r i m p o s e d , should enab l e m a n

to f ind , t h r o u g h s k e p t i c i s m and doubt , a w h i t e r l ight :

T h e r e f o r e I would s o l i c i t f r e e d i s c u s s i o n Upon a l l p o i n t s - -no m a t t e r wha t , o r whose - -

B e c a u s e a s Ages upon A g e s p u s h on. The l a s t i s ap t the f o r m e r to a c c u s e

Of p i l lowing i t s h e a d on a p i n - c u s h i o n , H e e d l e s s of the p r i c k s b e c a u s e it was o b t u s e :

What w a s a p a r a d o x b e c o m e s a t r u t h o r A s o m e t h i n g l ike i t - - a s b e a r w i t n e s s L u t h e r !

(xvii, 6)11

8 Ibid. , pp. 4 1 - 4 2 .

9 Ibid. , p. 42.

10 Ibid, , p . 44.

Don J u a n , III, 5 6 4 - 5 6 5 .

n t P a r a d o x , r ' t r u t h o r s o m e t h i n g l i ke - - t h e s e b e c a m e B y r o n ' s l a t e s t

12 d e f i n i t i o n s of knowledge . n Doubt and s k e p t i c i s m , f a r f r o m be ing

n e g a t i o n s , b e c o m e i n s t e a d " a n e c e s s a r y c o m p o n e n t of be l ie f . . .

13

[and they s e r v e r a t h e r a ] c o r r e c t i v e o r p u r g a t i v e f u n c t i o n , 11 When

B y r o n Is s k e p t i c a l , it is h i s a t t e m p t to d i s c r i m i n a t e f r o m a m o n g the

s e v e r a l a p p e a r a n c e s wh ich c o n f r o n t h i m ; he looks f o r t r u t h knowing he

canno t f ind i t , and he s e a r c h e s f o r k n o w l e d g e , s u s p e c t i n g tha t it d o e s not

e x i s t f o r m a n . He b e l i e v e s s t r o n g l y b e c a u s e he doub t s wi th equa l s t r e n g t h ;

he a c c e p t s the p o s s i b i l i t y of e v e r y t h i n g and the c e r t a i n t y of no th ing . The

r e a l i t y which B y r o n p r e s e n t s in Don J u a n is p r e p a r e d of m a n y p r i s m a t i c 14

r a y s , a " v e r s i f i e d A u r o r a B o r e a l i s 1 ' (vii , 2), and the p h i l o s o p h i c a l

b a s i s f o r t h i s r e a l i t y is h i s doub t ing and s k e p t i c a l thought ,

A s t udy of the r e a l i t y w h i c h B y r o n p r e s e n t s h i s r e a d e r in the

n a r r a t i o n of e v e n t s in Don J u a n i s e m p h a s i z e d and i l l u m i n a t e d in h i s

d i g r e s s i v e m a t e r i a l wh ich i s so i n f u s e d into the p o e m t h a t it b e c o m e s

a m b i g u o u s which , n a r r a t i o n o r d ig re s s ion , , is the v e h i c l e f o r the o t h e r .

The a p p a r e n t c a r e l e s s n e s s of the c o m p o s i t i o n of Don J u a n has a t t r a c t e d

15 c r i t i c i s m , " but it is t h r o u g h t h i s r a t h e r l o o s e c o n s t r u c t i o n tha t B y r o n

12 M a r j a r u m , B y r o n a s Skep t ic and B e l i e v e r , p. 41.

13 14 I b i d , , p . 4 2 . D o n Juan, III ; 6 7 .

15 H e l e n G a r d n e r , "Don J u a n , f; The London M a g a z i n e , V (Ju ly ,

1958), 58. See T r u m a n Guy S t e f f a n , The Making of a M a s t e r j p i e c e , Vol. I of B y r o n ' s "Don J u a n , 31 4 v o l s , (Aus t in , 1957), p, 278.

c a n s o e a s i l y c o m p o u n d bo th n a r r a t i o n a n d h i s p h i l o s o p h i c a l a n d m u s i n g

c o m m e n t a r y , e a c h a d d i n g to t h e o t h e r f s s t r e n g t h o r i l l u s t r a t i n g b l a t a n t

c o n t r a d i c t i o n s . ^ M u c h of t h i s a c c o m p a n y i n g d i g r e s s i o n in to p h i l o s o -

p h i c a l p r o b l e m s m a y be r e s o l v e d in to t h e g e n e r a l t h e m e of t h e i m p o s s i b l e

a c q u i s i t i o n of t r u t h a n d c e r t a i n k n o w l e d g e o n c e t h e d i s t i l l a t i o n of r e a l i t y

b e g i n s in t h e p r e s e n c e of t h e c a t a l y s t , s k e p t i c i s m a n d d o u b t ;

A p o l o g u e , F a b l e , P o e s y , a n d P a r a b l e ,

A r e f a l s e , bu t m a y be r e n d e r ! d a l s o t r u e , By t h o s e w h o s o w t h e m in a l a n d t h a t ' s a r a b l e :

T T i s w o n d e r f u l w h a t F a b l e w i l l no t d o ! 1 T i s s a i d i t m a k e s r e a l i t y m o r e b e a r a b l e :

Bu t w h a t 5 s r e a l i t y ? Who h a s i t s c l u e ? P h i l o s o p h y ? No; s h e t oo m u c h r e j e c t s . R e l i g i o n ? Y e s ; bu t w h i c h of a l l h e r s e c t s 9

(xv, 89)

B y r o n ' s q u e s t f o r e l u s i v e r e a l i t y f i n d s i t s w a y in to m a n y s t a n z a s , bu t

t h e s e a r c h , a s h e s u s p e c t s , c a n o n l y e n d in f r u s t r a t i o n ; h o w e v e r , he i s

n e v e r s a t i s f i e d to end h i s s e a r c h f o r r e a l i t y of a c e r t a i n p u r i t y a m o n g

t h e d r e g s of s o c i a l h y p o c r i s y arid c a n t . H i s c o m p a n i o n f o r t h e s e a r c h

in Don J u a n i s d o u b t , w h i c h a d d s a n e c e s s a r y o b j e c t i v i t y to h i s s e n s o r y

s u r v e y of a p p e a r a n c e s , f o r t h e r e i s " N o t h i n g m o r e t r u e t h a n not to t r u s t

18

y o u r s e n s e s ; / A n d y e t w h a t a r e y o u r o t h e r e v i d e n c e s ? " (xiv, 2) . B y r o n

w i l l no t e v e n a l l o w h i m s e l f to b e e n t i r e l y c e r t a i n of t h e o b j e c t i v i t y of

d o u b t a s a m e a n s of f i l t e r i n g t r u t h o r r e a l i t y :

16 G e o r g e M. R i d e n o u r , T h e S ty l e of " D o n J u a n " (New H a v e n ,

C o n n e c t i c u t , I 9 6 0 ) , pp . 124- 125.

17 18 Don J u a n , III, 495 . Ib id . , p. 4 1 1 .

10

So l i t t l e do we know what we1 r e abou t in -Th i s w o r l d , 1 doubt if doubt i t s e l f be doubt ing .

(ix, 17)

" T h e p o s i t i v e r e s u l t s of a l l B y r o n ' s p o n d e r i n g a r e s l igh t , He h a s

a t t a i n e d no new t r u t h , n o r h a s he a d o p t e d any s a t i s f a c t o r y s y s t e m . His

20

only a d v a n c e is a s u r e r k n o w l e d g e of the ] i m i t s of h u m a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g , H -

If B y r o n q u e s t i o n s the v a l i d i t y of p h i l o s o p h i c a l doubt and s k e p t i c i s m ,

s u r e l y he m u s t c o n d e m n a s i nva l i d the h y p o c r i s y of c e r t a i n t y in socie ty* s

c u s t o m s . T h e s e p h i l o s o p h i c a l c o n c e p t s i l l u s t r a t e t he f o u n d a t i o n upon

wh ich Don J u a n h a s b e e n bu i l t , and t h e y a r e the r a t i o n a l e f o r Byron* s

a t t a c k on the a f f e c t a t i o n s and s o p h i s t r i e s of h i s s o c i e t y .

The f r e e d o m wi th which he w i e l d e d h i s w e a p o n s of doubt and

s k e p t i c i s m , ch ipping a w a y a t s ac red , c u s t o m s , soon b r o u g h t the wounded

s o c i e t y to i t s f e e t in open o p p o s i t i o n . Tha t B y r o n w a s p e r h a p s e x p e c t i n g

t h i s r e c e p t i o n is i n d i c a t e d in a l e t t e r to h i s f r i e n d T h o m a s M o o r e ,

S e p t e m b e r 19, 1818, in w h i c h B y r o n o f f e r s one of h i s e a r l y c o m m e n t a r i e s

on h i s i n t en t i ons f o r the new p o e m :

I h a v e f i n i s h e d the f i r s t c a n t o (a long one , of abou t 180 -o c t a v e s ) of a p o e m in the s t y l e and m a n n e r of Beppo , e n c o u r a g e d by the good s u c c e s s of the s a m e . It is c a l l e d Don Juan , and is m e a n t to be a l i t t l e q u i e t l y f a c e t i o u s upon e v e r y th ing . But I doubt w h e t h e r it is no t - - a t l e a s t , a s f a r a s it h a s y e t gone - - ^oo f r e e f o r t h e s e v e r y m o d e s t

19 I b i d . , p. 191.

20 M a r j a r u m , B y r o n a s Skep t ic and B e l i e v e r , p. 44,

11

d a y s . H o w e v e r , I s h a l l t r y t h e e x p e r i m e n t , a n o n y m o u s l y ; arid if i t d o n ' t t a k e , if: w i l l b e d i s c o n t i n u e d . It i s d e d i c a t e d to S o u t h e y in good , s i m p l e , s a v a g ^ v e r s e , upon t h e L a u r e a t ' s p o l i t i c s , a n d t h e w a y h e go t t h e m .

T h e h y p o c r i s y a n d c a n t of .London ' s s o c i e t y , u n d o u b t e d l y i n c l u d i n g

22

r e l i g i o u s b i g o t r y a n d p o l i t i c a l p r e j u d i c e , w i n c e d u n d e r t h e a t t a c k

a n d s t r u c k b a c k in a l m o s t i m m e d i a t e c r i t i c i s m of t h e i m m o r a l i t y of

b o t h p o e m a n d p o e t w h e n C a n t o s I a n d II w e r e f i n a l l y p u b l i s h e d on J u l y 15,

1819. T h e c r i t i c a l r e v i e w s w e r e g e n e r a l l y q u i c k to r e c o g n i z e t h e p o e t i c

m e r i t s of Don J u a n , a s w e r e B y r o n ' s f r i e n d s , but t h e y d e p l o r e d w h a t

t h e y s a w a s t h e p r o s t i t u t i o n of h i s t a l e n t s in p r o d u c i n g t h i s p o e t r y w h i c h 23

w a s p e r m e a t e d w i t h t h e " s p i r i t of i n f i d e l i t y a n d l i b e r t i n i s m , " ' B y r o n ' s

f r i e n d s , J o h n M u r r a y , a n d M u r r a y ' s a d v i s o r s e x p e c t e d j u s t t h i s r e a c t i o n

24

a n d h a d d e l a y e d t h e p u b l i c a t i o n f o r a l m o s t a y e a r .

D u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d , a n d f o r m a n y m o n t h s a f t e r p u b l i c a t i o n , B y r o n

w r o t e o f t e n a n d p a s s i o n a t e l y , d e f e n d i n g t h e m o r a l s i n c e r i t y of h i s

p u r p o s e a n d a p p e a l i n g f o r a n h o n e s t e v a l u a t i o n of t h e r e a l i s m in h i s

p o e t r y . On F e b r u a r y 1, 1819 , h e w r o t e t o M u r r a y :

21 L e t t e r s and. J o u r n a l s , IV, 260 .

22 T r u e b l o o d , T h e F l o w e r i n g of B y r o n ' s G e n i u s , p p . 2 6 - 3 0 .

23 11 Don J u a n , I - I I , n T h e G e n t l e m a n ' s M a g a z i n e , L X X X I X ( A u g u s t ,

1819) , 152. See T r u e b l o o d , T h e F l o w e r i n g of B y r o n ' s G e n i u s , p . 33.

24 ^ T r u m a n Guy S t e f t a n , T h e M_aking of a M a s t e r p i e c e , Vo l . I of

- B y r o n ' s " D o n J u a n , " 4 v o l s . ( A u s t i n , 1957) , pp . l~6-25.

12

I h a v e w r i t t e n to you s e v e r a l l e t t e r s , s o m e w i t h a d d i t i o n s a n d s o m e u p o n t h e s u b j e c t of t h e p o e m i t s e l f , w h i c h m y c u r s e d p u r i t a n i c a l c o m m i t t e e h a v e p r o t e s t e d a g a i n s t p u b l i s h i n g . . « . I h a v e not y e t b e g u n to c o p y out t h e s e c o n d C a n t o , w h i c h i s f i n i s h e d , f r o m n a t u r a l l a z i n e s s ,

a n d t h e d i s c o u r a g e m e n t of t he m i l k a n d w a t e r t h e y h a v e t h r o w n u p o n t h e f i r s t . . . . If t h e y h a d t o l d m e t h e p o e t r y w a s b a d , I w o u l d h a v e a c q u i e s c e d ; bu t t h e y s a y t h e c o n t r a r y , a n d t h e n t a l k to m e a b o u t m o r a l i t y - - t h e f i r s t t i m e I e v e r h e a r d t h e w o r d f r o m a n y b o d y w h o w a s n o t a r a s c a l t h a t u s e d it f o r a p u r p o s e . I m a i n t a i n t h a t i t i s t he m o s t m o r a l of p o e m s ; b u t if p e o p l e w o n ' t d i s c o v e r t he m o r a l , t h a t i s t h e i r f a u l t , no t m i n e .

J o h n M u r r a y t h o u g h t t h a t s o m e c a r e f u l e d i t i n g of the" c a n t o s h e h a d

r e c e i v e d f o r p r i n t i n g w o u l d m a k e t h e p o e m m o r e a c c e p t a b l e to t h e

p u b l i c w h o w e r e s e n s i t i v e t o t h e m a t e r i a l w i t h w h i c h B y r o n d e a l t a n d

t h e w a y in w h i c h he p r e s e n t e d i t . B y r o n w o u l d no t t o l e r a t e s u c h

" m u t i l a t i o n s , n h o w e v e r , a n d on A p r i l 6, 1819, M u r r a y r e c e i v e d B y r o n ' s

t h o u g h t s on t h i s s u b j e c t :

You s h a ' n ' t m a k e C a n t i c l e s of m y . C a n t o s . T h e p o e m w i l l p l e a s e , if i t i s l i v e l y ; if i t i s s t u p i d , i t w i l l f a i l ; b u t I w i l l h a v e n o n e of y o u r d a m n e d c u t t i n g a n d s l a s h i n g . If y o u p l e a s e , y o u m a y p u b l i s h a n o n y m o u s l y ; it w i l l p e r h a p s be b e t t e r ; b u t I w i l l b a t t l e m y w a y a g a i n s t t h e m a l l , l i k e a •r> . 2 6 P o r c u p i n e .

A f t e r t h e J u l y , 1819, p u b l i c a t i o n , t h e p u b l i c r e a c t e d v i o l e n t l y to t h e

r e a l i t y in Don J u a n , a n d M u r r a y ' s w o r s t f e a r s w e r e r e a l i z e d . T h i n k i n g

p e r h a p s to h u m o r M u r r a y , B y r o n a t t a c k e d t h e p r o b l e m of i m m o r a l i t y

f r o m a n e w d i r e c t i o n in a l e t t e r of August : 12, 1819;

25 . L e t t e r s a n d J o u r n a l s , IV, 279.

26 Ib id . , p, 283 .

13

But a t r u c e wi th t h e s e r e f l e c t i o n s . You a r e t oo s e r i o u s a n d e a g e r a b o u t a w o r k n e v e r in t e n d e d to be s e r i o u s . Do you s u p p o s e t h a t 1 cou ld h a v e any i n t e n t i o n bu t to g i g g l e a n d m a k e g i g g l e ? - - a p l a y f u l s a t i r e , w i t h a s l i t t l e p o e t r y a s c o u l d b e h e l p e d , w a s w h a t I m e a n t : a n d a s to t h e i n d e c e n c y , do, p r a y , r e a d in B o s w e l l w h a t J o h n s on ,^^he s u l l e n m o r a l i s t , s a y s of P r i o r a n d P a u l o P u r g a n t e .

T h e c h a r g e s of t h e i m m o r a l i t y of t he p o e m w e r e m e t o f t e n d u r i n g t h e

n e x t ' m o n t h s w i t h l i s t s of p r e c e d e n t s , a u t h o r s w h o s e m o r a l i t y w a s not

so i n d i g n a n t l y q u e s t i o n e d . He w r o t e t o R i c h a r d B e l g r a ve H o p p n e r on

O c t o b e r 28, 1819:

I u n d e r s t a n d the o u t c r y w a s b e y o n d e v e r y t h i n g - - p r e t t y C a n t f o r p e o p l e who r e a d To rn J o n e s , a n d R o d e r i c k R a n d o m , a n d the B a t h G u i d e , a n d A r i o s t o . a n d D r y d e n , a n d P o p e , to s a y n o t h i n g of -L i t t l e ' s P o e m s . Of c o u r s e , I r e f e r to t h e m o r a l l t y of t h o s e w o r k s , a n d no t t o a n y p r e t e n s i o n of m i n e to c o m p e t e w i t h t h e m in a n y t h i n g but d e c e n c y .

In a l e t t e r to J o h n M u r r a y on M a r c h 29, 1 820, B y r o n w a s s t i l l d e f e n d i n g

h i s p o s i t i o n . It w a s no t h e who w a s i m m o r a l , he i n s i s t e d , bu t t h e

s o c i e t y h e h a d d e p i c t e d in t h e f i r s t c a n t o s :

You t a l k of r e f i n e m e n t : - - a r e y o u a l l m o r e m o r a l ? A r e you so m o r a l ? No s u c h t h i n g . I_know w h a t t h e W o r l d i s in E n g l a n d , by m y own p r o p e r e x p e r i e n c e of t h e b e s t of i t - - a t l e a s t of t h e l o f t i e s t . And I h a v e d e s c r i b e d it e v e r y w h e r e a s i t i s to b e f o u n d in a l l p l a c e s . ^ ^

B y r o n w a s not p a r t i c u l a r l y e n c o u r a g e d by t h e c o l d r e c e p t i o n of

DOi h i s f i r s t p u b l i c a t i o n of 1819, but he c o n t i n u e d to w o r k on the Doem,

2 7 28 Ib id . , p . 343. Ib id , , pp . 3 6 6 - 3 6 7 ,

2 9 30 Ib id . , p. 417 . Ib id . , p. 368 .

C a n t o s III arid IV w e r e w r i t t e n d u r i n g the w i n t e r m o n t h s of 1819 and

1820; a t the c l o s e of t he s u m m e r of 1820, he r e t u r n e d to the c o m p o s i t i o n

of Don J u a n and w r o t e Can to V in O c t o b e r and N o v e m b e r of 18 2 0» The

f o u r t h can to i l l u s t r a t e s how B y r o n ' s s e n s i t i v e ego had b e e n p r i c k e d by

the h y p o c r i t i c a l o u t r a g e of h i s r e a d e r s , and i t c o n t a i n s s e v e r a l s t a n z a o

d i r e c t e d to h i s d e t r a c t o r s . Without a l lowing h i m s e l f the l i b e r t y of

e x p r e s s i o n wi th wh ich he a t t a c k e d M u r r a y and h i s c a u t i o u s f r i e n d s ,

B y r o n pu ts h i s c a s e b e f o r e t h e s e r e a d e r s wi th some- s p i r i t ;

Some h a v e a c c u s e d m e of a s t r a n g e d e s i g n A g a i n s t the c r e e d and m o r a l s of the l and ,

And t r a c e it in t h i s p o e m e v e r y l i ne : I don ' t p r e t e n d tha t I qu i t e u n d e r s t a n d

My own m e a n i n g when I would be v e r y f i ne ; But the f a c t is t h a t I have nothing planned,

U n l e s s it w e r e to be a m o m e n t m e r r y , A nove l w o r d in m y v o c a b u l a r y . - ,

( i v , 5)

He r e f e r s a g a i n to h i s c r i t i c s a t t he end of t h i s can to , p l a c i n g the b l a m e

f o r the u n p o p u l a r i t y of Don J u a n upon the h y p o c r i s y of s o c i e t y t o w a r d i t s

own i m m o r a l i t y and h i s t r u t h f u l n e s s :

H e r e I m i g h t e n t e r on a c h a s t e d e s c r i p t i o n ,

Having w i t h s t o o d t e m p t a t i o n in m y youth , But h e a r t ha t s e v e r a l peop l e t a k e e x c e p t i o n

At the f i r s t two books hav ing too m u c h t r u t h ; T h e r e f o r e I ' l l m a k e Don J u a n l e a v e the sh ip soon,

B e c a u s e the p u b l i s h e r d e c l a r e s , in sooth , T h r o u g h n e e d l e s ' e y e s it e a s i e r f o r the c a m e l is To p a s s , t han t h o s e two c a n t o s into f a m i l i e s .

3 1 . G e o r g e Gordon , L o r d B y r o n , A V a r i o r u m Ed i t i on ; C a n t o s I -V,

Vol. II of B y r o n ' s l ;Don J u a n , 11 edited by T r a m a n G. S t e f f an and vv ii.ils W. P r a t t , 4 v o l s . (Aust in , 1957), p, 346.

15

1 T i s a l l the s a m e to m e ; I ! m fond of yielding* And t h e r e f o r e l e a v e t h e m to the p u r e r page

Of S m o l l e t t , P r i o r , A r i o s t o , F i e l d i n g , Who s a y s t r a n g e th ings f o r so c o r r e c t an age . . . »

(iv, 9 7 - 9 8 ) 3 2

Byron 1 s c o n c e p t i o n of t r u t h in t h e s e f i r s t , and fo l lowing , c a n t o s w a s only

h i s i n s i s t e n c e on r e a l i t y in the f a c e of gx ea t o p p o s i t i o n f r o m a l l q u a r t e r s .

The l a d i e s w e r e e s p e c i a l l y i n c e n s e d by h i s truth., m u c h p r e f e r r i n g h i s

s e n t i m e n t . Speak ing , no doubt , of the C o u n t e s s Gu icc io l i , B y r o n

r e l a t e d one e x a m p l e of t h i s p r e v a i l i n g a t t i t u d e to John M u r r a y on

N o v e m b e r 12, 1820:

I d o n ' t f ee ] i n c l i n e d to c a r e f u r t h e r abou t Don J u a n . What do you th ink a v e r y p r e t t y I t a l i a n l a d y s a i d to m e the o t h e r day? She had r e a d i t in the F r e n c h , and pa id m e s o m e c o m p l i m e n t s , wi th due DRAWBACKS, upon i t . I a n s w e r e d t ha t wha t she s a i d w a s t r u e , but t ha t I s u s p e c t e d it would l i ve l o n g e r t han Chi lde H a r o l d . "Ah but (sa id She) 1 would r a t h e r h a v e the f a m e of Chi lde H a r o l d f o r THREE YEARS t h a n ' a n l M M O R T A L I T Y of Don J u a n ! n The t r u t h is t ha t it is TOO T R U E , and the w o m e n h a t e e v e r y th ing which s t r i p s off the t i n s e l of S e n t i m e n t ; and t h e y a r e r i g h t , a s i t would r o b t h e m of t h e i r w e a p o n s .

B y r o n does not l o s e s igh t of h i s o r i g i n a l i n t e n t i o n s to n g i g g l e and

m a k e g igg le , " but a s he g a t h e r s p o w e r in the l a t e r c a n t o s , h i s l a u g h t e r - -

d i r e c t e d a t h i m s e l f , the s e n t i m e n t s he a l m o s t a l l o w s , and the s e n t i m e n t s

h i s r e a d e r s e x p e c t - - b e c o m e s a m o r e i n t e n s e c h a s t i s e m e n t of the s o c i e t y

32 Ibid, , p . 397.

33 ^ G e o r g e Gordon , L o r d Byron , L e t t e r s and J o u r n a l s , Vol.. V of

The W o r k s of L o r d B y r o n , ed i t ed by Rowland E . P r o t h e r o , 13 v o l s .

(New York , 1966), 9 6 - 9 7 .

' ' 1 6

he i s o b s e r v i n g . T h e i r a c c e p t e d a p p e a r a n c e s a r e e x p o s e d , and B y r o n

l a u g h s a t t h e i r n a k e d n e s s ; h o w e v e r , h i s l a u g h t e r o f t en p a r a d o x i c a l l y

sounds l i ke weep ing ;

And if I l augh a t any m o r t a l th ing , 1 T i s t h a t I m a y not weep ; and if I weep ,

1 T i s t h a t ou r n a t u r e canno t a l w a y s b r i n g I t se l f to a p a t h y . » * .

(iv, 4 ) 3 4

Don. J u a n is a c r u s a d e , and B y r o n ' s con t inu ing to do b a t t l e wi th the

s o c i a l w i n d m i l l , d e s p i t e h i s be ing m i s u n d e r s t o o d , m u s t i l l u s t r a t e h is

c o n v i c t i o n tha t wha t he w a s doing w a s not on ly r i g h t bu t n e c e s s a r y .

B y r o n r e m a r k e d in a l e t t e r to T h o m a s M o o r e on F e b r u a r y 28, 1817,

abou t a y e a r and a half b e f o r e beg inn ing Den J u a n , t h a t he would s o m e -

how i n s u r e tha t h i s l i f e would be i m p o r t a n t a f t e r a l l :

If I l ive t e n y e a r s l o n g e r , you will s e e , h o w e v e r ,

t ha t it is not o v e r wi th m e - - I d o n ' t m e a n in l i t e r a t u r e , f o r t h a t i s no th ing ; and i t m a y s e e m odd enough to s a y , I do no t th ink it m y v o c a t i o n . But you wi l l s e e t h a t I s h a l l do someth ing , jpr o t h e r - - the t i m e s and f o r t u n e p e r m i t t i n g . . . .

B y r o n a t t e m p t e d to m a k e h i s l i f e i m p o r t a n t by a c t i v e l y engag ing h i m s e l f

in the I t a l i an r e s i s t a n c e a g a i n s t A u s t r i a n d o m i n a t i o n and by a id ing the

G r e e k s in t h e i r s t r u g g l e f o r i n d e p e n d e n c e f r o m the T u r k s . N e i t h e r of

t h e s e a t t e m p t s to "do s o m e t h i n g " w a s p a r t i c u l a r l y s u c c e s s f u l ; h i s

34 Don J u a n , III, 346.

35 L e t t e r s arid J o u r n a l s , IV, 62,

}?

a m b i t i o n to r i g h t w r o n g s , to a b o l i s h t y r a n n y and the o p p r e s s i o n of

m a n , m e t wi th g e n e r a l d e f e a t w h e n he a t t e m p t e d to be a m a n of a c t i o n .

Yet , h i s i n s i s t e n c e on m o r a l r e a l i t y a s a r e p l a c e m e n t f o r s o c i a l hypo-

c r i s y in Don. J u a n is a n o t h e r m o d e of a c t i o n . Don J u a n is a m o r a l

c r u s a d e , and s k e p t i c a l and doubt ing r e a l i s m a r e B y r o n ' s w e a p o n s .

C H A P T E R II

THE A P P E A L F O R R E A L I T Y IN

L O V E AND MARRIAGE

In the f i r s t f i ve c a n t o s of Don Juan , which m a y be c a l l e d the

p r o d u c t of B y r o n ' s f i r s t e x t e n d e d p e r i o d of c o m p o s i t i o n on the peer p.,

' ' the e m p h a s i s i s p r i m a r i l y upon i n c i d e n t and the m o o d is s p o r t i v e l y

s a t i r i c a l . 1 ,1 B y r o n ' s n a r r a t i o n of e v e n t s l e a d s h is h e r o t h r o u g h the

s c a n d a l of h i s f i r s t , a d u l t e r o u s a f f a i r wi th Donna J u l i a , r e s u l t i n g in h i s

ex i l e f r o m Spain, F r o m the h o r r o r of the s h i p w r e c k s e q u e n c e in Can to

II, B y r o n r e s c u e s Don J u a n and p l a c e s h i m in the c a r e of the b e a u t i f u l

H a i d e e , the only d a u g h t e r of the p i r a t e L a m b r o . In the G r e e k C y c l a d e s

J u a n is i n i t i a t e d into the b l i s s of a n a t u r a l l ove wi th H a i d e e who is u n e n -

c u m b e r e d by the c u s t o m s of s o c i e t y . When t h e l o v e r s a r e d i s c o v e r e d ,

Don J u a n is sh ipped in to s l a v e r y and p u r c h a s e d by a S u l t a n ' s f o u r t h w i fe ,

G u l b e y a z . J u a n is p r o m p t l y d r e s s e d a s one of the h a r e m g i r l s and

e s c o r t e d to the s e r a g l i o a s a p r e c a u t i o n a g a i n s t h i s d i s c o v e r y by the

wa tch fu l husband , The t r e a t m e n t of t h e s e i n c i d e n t s i s m a r k e d by h u m o r ,

P a u l G. T r u e blood, The F l o w e r i n g o{ B y r o n ' s Gen ius (S tan fo rd , 1943), p. 3. ~ — ~

18

2

and the tone is not unl ike F i e l d i n g ' s , both in t e m p e r and m o r a l p u r p o s e .

Byr on a d m i t s t h a t he h a s o f t e n b e e n 11 v o l u p t u o u s n in i n c i d e n t a n d

d e s c r i p t i o n , b u t h i s p u r p o s e , a s no ted i n C h a p t e r I, m u s t n e v e r b e

q u e s t i o n e d :

1 t h e r e f o r e do d e n o u n c e a l l a m o r o u s w r i t i n g ,

E x c e p t in s u c h a w a y a s not* t o a t t r a c t ; P l a i n - - s i m p ] e~ - s h o r t , a n d b y no m e a n s i n v i t i n g ,

Bu t w i t h a m o r a l t o e a c h e r r o r t a c k e d , F o r m e d r a t h e r f o r i n s t r u c t i n g t h a n d e l i g h t i n g .

And w i t h a l l p a s s i o n s in t h e i r t u r n a t t a c k e d ; Now, if m y P e g a s u s s h o u l d not b e s h o d i l l , T h i s p o e m wi l l b e c o m e a m o r a l m o d e l , ^

(v, 2)

A s i s p e r h a p s s u g g e s t e d by t h e i n c i d e n t s of t h i s f i r s t s e c t i o n of Don J u a n

a n d b y t h e p r e c e d i n g e x t r a c t i o n , B y r o r ? s s a t i r i c s t r i c t u r e s a r e o r g a n i z e d

to p l a c e h e a v y e m p h a s i s on t he h y p o c r i s y of l o v e a n d t h e a b u s e s of t h e

i n s t i t u t i o n of m a r r i a g e , , T h e p e r i o d of h i s s e p a r a t i o n f r o m h i s w i f e h a d

n o t a d v a n c e d q u i t e t h r e e y e a r s a t the t i m e of the c o m p o s i t i o n of the f i r s t

c a n t o in S e p t e m b e r , 1818, a n d h i s w o u n d s w e r e s t i l l s m a r t i n g .

B y r o n f s e x a m i n a t i o n of the a p p e a r a n c e s In w h i c h s o c i e t y h a d v e i l e d

l o v e and m a r r i a g e r e v e a l s h i s d i s t a s t e f o r i n s i n c e r i t y a n d d e c e p t i o n a n d

h i s d e m a n d f or a m o r e r e a l i s t i c v i e w of t h e s o c i a l p h e n o m e n o n of 2

E l i z a b e t h P . B o y d . Byro^n* s t\Dori J i i a n f l : A C r i t i c a l S tudy (New B r u n s w i c k , New J e r s e y , i 945) , pp. 34, 38.

3 G e o r g e G o r d o n , L o r d B y r on, A v a r i o r u m E d i t i o n : Car , Los I ~ V,

V c L II of B v r o n ' s n D o n J u a n , n e d i t e d b y T r u m a n G. Stef fan a n d W i l l i s W, PratL> 4 v o l s , ( A u s t i n , 1957) , p . 4 1 2 . H e r e a f t e r c i t e d a s Don J u a n , IL

' - ' " • 20

m a r r i a g e and of the c o n c e p t i o n of l ove . The m o t i v a t i o n f o r t h i s s e a r c h

m a y be n a r r o w e d to h i s con t inu ing p a s s i o n f o r s t r i p p i n g e v e r y t h i n g of

h y p o c r i s y and p e r h a p s a need f o r an i n v e s t i g a t i o n of t he d e b a c l e of h i s

own s h o r t m a r r i a g e . It is g e n e r a l l y a c k n o w l e d g e d tha t w r i t i n g w a s a

4

m e n t a l and e m o t i o n a l c a t h a r s i s f o r B y r o n , and in Can tc I of Don J u a n

he p l a c e s m a n y of h i s m a r i t a l p r o b l e m s on exh ib i t ion . His a t t i t u d e ,

h o w e v e r , r e v e a l s none of the s e l f - p i t y t h a t i s o f ten e m b a r r a s s i n g l y

ev iden t in Chi ld e H a r o l d 1 s P i l g r i m a g e , and he a t t e m p t s to e x a m i n e h i s

unhappy y e a r wi th L a d y B y r c n wi th enough o b j e c t i v i t y t h a t even he c a n

s e e the h u m o r in s o m e of the e p i s o d e s wh ich w e r e once so p a i n f u l to

h i m . His p e r s o n a l e x p e r i e n c e and h i s p r o p e n s i t y f o r k e e n o b s e r v a t i o n

of the E n g l i s h s o c i e t y which r e j e c t e d h i m and the I t a l i a n s o c i e t y into

wh ich he g r a v i t a t e d e n a b l e d B y r o n to d r a w c e r t a i n n o t a b l e c o n c l u s i o n s

abou t love and m a r r i a g e w h i c h a r e e x p o s e d by h i s s a t i r i c s c a l p e l : any

love not s a n c t i o n e d by m a r r i a g e is c o n d e m n e d by s o c i e t y wi thou t r e g a r d

f o r i t s qua l i ty , wh i l e m a r r i a g e wi thou t love s e e m s u n i v e r s a l :

1 T i s m e l a n c h o l y , and a f e a r f u l s ign

Of h u m a n f r a i l t y , folly, a l s o c r i r a e , Tha t love and m a r r i a g e r a r e l y c a n c o m b i n e . . . .

(iii., 5)

4 L e s l i e A. M a r c h a n d , B y r o n : A B i o g r a p h y (New York , 1957),

I, 408, 418. ~~ ~~~

"Don J u a n , II, 277.

" 1 ^ ! * ' " 2 1

S i n c e t h i s i s t h e c a s e , a s he h a s o b s e r v e d it t o b e , B y r o n ' s s a t i r e of

t h e s e s o c i a l c u s t o m s i s d e s i g n e d to e x a m i n e t h e h y p o c r i s y w h i c h c o v e r s

t h e u n d e s i r a b l e r e a l i t y of l o v e ( a c c o r d i n g to s o c i e t y ) a n d m a r r i a g e (a

p r o d u c t of s o c i e t y ) ;

T h u s B y r o n ' s a t t a c k on m a r r i a g e i s d i r e c t e d a g a i n s t i t s m e r c e n a r y a s p e c t , i t s p e r f u n c t o r i n e s s , i t s w a n t of r o m a n c e a n d l o v e and c o n s e q u e n t i n f i d e l i t y , a n d i t s b o n d a g e . Bu t t h a t h e w a s a b l e to c o n c e i v e of t h e t r u e m a r i t a l h a p p i n e s s of two s i n c e r e l y d e v o t e d p e r s o n s c a n be r e a d i l y s u b s t a n t i a t e d b y h i s a t t i t u d e t o w a r d T e r e s a G u i c c i o l i a s w e l l a s by h i s own e m p h a s i s of t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t r u e m a r r i a g e a n ^ l o v e l e s s w e d l o c k in h i s p o e t r y a n d in h i s c o n v e r s a t i o n s .

B y r o n i l l u s t r a t e s t h i s u n f o r t u n a t e r e a l i t y t h r o u g h a c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e

m o r e d e s i r a b l e e x a m p l e s of l o v e and m a r r i a g e a c c o r d i n g to n a t u r e , a s

in h i s d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e J u a n - H a i d e e e p i s o d e .

T h e s o c i a l d e c e i t of i n f i d e l i t y , a n d t h e r e a s o n s f o r i t , d r a w

m u c h of B y r o n ' s c r i t i c a l a t t e n t i o n in h i s e x a m i n a t i o n of l o v e l e s s

m a r r i a g e s . Of p a r t i c u l a r n a r r a t i v e i m p o r t a n c e a r e t h e f a m i l i e s of

Don A l f o n s o a n d Don J o s e , a n d t h e y p r o v i d e t h e e x a m p l e s B y r o n n e e d s

t o e x p o s e t h e r e a l i t y of t h i s c o n n u b i a l s t a t e . H i s d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e

m a r r i a g e of Don J o s e a n d Donna I n e z , Don J u a n ' s p a r e n t s , i l l u s t r a t e s

t h e c o m m o n h y p o c r i s y of c o n s t a n c y w h i c h m a i n t a i n s r e s p e c t a b i l i t y w h i l e

one e n g a g e s in a d u l t e r y . G o s s i p in S e v i l l e a t t r i b u t e d to D o n n a I n e z and

Don A l f o n s o a n a f f a i r of l ong d u r a t i o n , a n d d u r i n g t h i s t i m e Donna I n e z

^ T r u e b l o o d , T h e F l o w e r i n g of B y r o n / s G e n i u s , p . 160,

7?

h a d d e v e l o p e d a n o u t w a r d l y a f f e c t i o n a t e f r i e n d s h i p w i t h Don A l f o n s o ' s

w i f e , D o n n a J u l i a , t o m a i n t a i n h e r r e p u t a t i o n . D o n n a I n e z ' a f f e c t a t i o n of

p r u d e r y a n d p e r f e c t i o n m a d e h e r s e e m a p a r a g o n of v i r t u e , a n d h e r

m a s q u e r a d e w a s s o c o n v i n c i n g t h a t h e r a m o r o u s h u s b a n d n e c e s s a r i l y

s o u g h t l o v e e l s e w h e r e :

P e r f e c t s h e w a s , bu t a s p e r f e c t i o n i s I n s i p i d in t h i s n a u g h t y w o r l d of o u r s ,

W h e r e o u r f i r s t p a r e n t s n e v e r l e a r n ' d to k i s s T i l l t h e y w e r e e x i l e d f r o m t h e i r e a r l i e r b o w e r s ,

W h e r e a l l w a s p e a c e , a n d i n n o c e n c e , a n d b l i s s , (I w o n d e r h o w t h e y go t t h r o u g h t h e t w e l v e h o u r s ) .

Don J o s e , l i k e a l i n e a l s o n of E v e , W e n t p l u c k i n g v a r i o u s f r u i t w i t h o u t h e r leg.ve.

(i, 18)

With m o c k s e r i o u s n e s s , B y r o n a s s e r t s t h a t t h i s a f f e c t a t i o n of f i d e l i t y

i s n o t n e c e s s a r y in t h e " m o r a l " n o r t h ( m e a n i n g E n g l a n d , n o d o u b t )

w h e r e t h e c l i m a t e i s m o r e c o n d u c i v e t o c h a s t i t y a n d " t h e y k n e a d t w o 8

v i r t u o u s s o u l s f o r l i f e / i n t o t h a t m o r a l c e n t a u r , m a n and w i f e " (v, 158).

Ye t , h e m u s t q u e s t i o n t h i s h y p o c r i s y :

H a p p y t h e n a t i o n s of t h e m o r a l n o r t h ! W h e r e a l l i s v i r t u e , a n d t h e w i n t e r s e a s o n

S e n d s s i n , w i t h o u t a r a g on , s h i v e r i n g f o r t h ; (1 T w a s s n o w t h a t b r o u g h t St. A n t h o n y to r e a s o n ) ;

W h e r e j u r i e s c a s t up w h a t a w i f e i s w o r t h By l a y i n g w h a t e ' e r s u m , in m u l c t , t h e y p l e a s e on

T h e l o v e r , who m u s t p a y a h a n d s o m e p r i c e , B e c a u s e i t i s a m a r k e t a b l e v i c e . q

(i, 64)

7 8 Don J u a n , II, 277 . I b id . , p . 502 .

9 I b i d . , p . 57.

23

T h e s o c i a l c o n c e p t of m a r r i a g e d e m a n d s c o n s t a n c y e v e n w h e n

l o v e no l o n g e r r e m a i n s ; i n c o n s t a n c y , t h e r e f o r e , s e e m s u n a v o i d a b l e .

B y r o n d o e s no t , h o w e v e r , a d v o c a t e s e x u a l l i c e n s e ; h e m e r e l y s u g g e s t s

a n h o n e s t a p p r a i s a l * of t h e s t a t e of m a r r i a g e ; i t s h o u l d b e m a i n t a i n e d

o n l y s o l ong a s l o v e d e m a n d s c o n s t a n c y of i t s e l f , w h i c h i s t h e n a t u r a l

c o n d i t i o n . He c o n d e m n s i n c o n s t a n c y f o r t h e h y p o c r i s y w h i c h n e c e s s a r i l y

a t t e n d s i t , a n d h e c o n d e m n s t h e c u s t o m of m a r r i a g e b e c a u s e i t p r o m o t e s

i n c o n s t a n c y . In a l a t e c a n t o , B y r o n o f f e r s a r e a s o n a b l e e x p l a n a t i o n f o r

t h i s t e n d e n c y of p e r v a s i v e i n f i d e l i t y in s o c i e t y :

L o v e b e a r s w i t h i n i t s b r e a s t t h e v e r y g e r m

Of c h a n g e ; a n d h o w s h o u l d t h i s b e o t h e r w i s e ? T h a t v i o l e n t t h i n g s m o r e q u i c k l y f i n d a t e r m

Is shown t h r o u g h n a t u r e ' s w h o l e a n a l o g i e s ; A n d how s h o u l d t h e m o s t f i e r c e of a l l b e f i r m ?

Would y o u h a v e e n d l e s s ] i g h t n i n g in t h e s k i e s ? Me t h i n k s L o v e ] s v e r y t i t l e s a y s e n o u g h : How s h o u l d M the t e n d e r P a s s i o n M e ' e r b e tough.?

(x iv , 94)

B y r o n d e n o u n c e s t h e h y p o c r i s y of f a l s e c h a s t i t y v /h ich a t t e m p t s to c o v e r

t h e o b v i o u s r e a l i t y of i n c o n s t a n c y t h a t i s g i v e n t a c i t a p p r o v a l t h r o u g h J

p r a c t i c e b u t v i r t u o u s l y c o n d e m n e d t h r o u g h s o c i a l n e c e s s i t y .

T h e P l a t o n i c h y p o c r i s y of s p i r i t u a l l o v e , t r a d i t i o n a l l y e x c l u d i n g

a n y n e e d f o r p h y s i c a l l o v e ? d r a w s v i g o r o u s a t t a c k s , f o r i t i s t h i s

a p p e a r a n c e w h i c h o f t e n s e r v e s to c l o u d t he r e a l i t y of m a r i t a l i n c o n s t a n c y .

10 G e o r g e C o r d o n , Lord . B y r o n , ii V a r i o r u m E d i t i o n : C a n t o s VI-

2£VH, V o l . III of B y r o n 1 s n D o n J n e d i t e d by T r u m a n G. S t e f f a n a n d Wil l i s W. P r a t t , 4 v o l s . ( A u s t i n , 1957 ), p . 4 S I . H e r e a f t e r c i t e d a s Don J u a n , III.

24

B y r o n i l l u s t r a t e s t h e f a l s e n a t u r e of t h i s c o n c e p t by c o m p a r i n g it

u n f a v o r a b l y w i th wfia t i s r e i l and nacura.1 in l o v e , I h e a f f a i r e n g a g i n g

D o n n a J u l i a a n d Don J u a n o f f e r s a c l e a r e x a m p l e of t h e h y p o c r i s y of

P l a t o n i s m a s a s u b s t i t u t e f o r a d u l t e r y . E n c o u r a g e d , p e r h a p s , in t h e i r

l o v e by D o n n a Inez " t o o p e n Don A l f o n s o ' s e y e s , / I n c a s e h e t h o u g h t h i s

1 1 ' , • , w i f e t o o g r e a t a p r i z e " (i, 101), Donna J u l i a w a s d e f . e r m m e o to

r e m a i n v i r t u o u s l y t r u e to h e r m a r r i a g e v o w s :

P o o r J u l i a ' s h e a r t w a s in a n a w k w a r d s t a t e ; She f e l t i t g o i n g , a n d r e s o l v e d to m a k e

T h e n o b l e s t e f f o r t s f o r h e r s e l f a.rid. m a t e , F o r h o n o u r ' s , p r i d e ' s , r e l i g i o n ' s , v ^ t u e ' s s a k e . . .

(i, 7 5 ) 1 "

H e r s e c u r i t y in h e r d e c i s i o n to b e s t r o n g w a s s h a k e n d u r i n g h e r f r e q u e n t

a n d e x c i t i n g v i s i t s to D o n n a I n e z ' h o m e , a n d h e r r e s o l u t i o n a g a i n s t l o v i n g

Don J u a n b e c a m e a c o m p r o m i s e to l o v e P l a t o n i c a l l y :

H e r p l a n s h e d e e m ' d b o t h i n n o c e n t a n d f e a s i b l e , A n d , s u r e l y , w i t h a s t r i p l i n g of s i x t e e n

Not s c a n d a l ' s f a n g s c o u l d f i x on m u c h t h a t ' s s e i z a b l e , O r if t h e y did so , s a t i s f i e d to m e a n

N o t h i n g bu t w h a t w a s good , h e r b r e a s t w a s p e a c e a b l e - -A q u i e t c o n s c i e n c e m a k e s o n e so s e r e n e !

(i, 8 3 ) 1 3

T h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s w h i c h wou ld p u t h e r v i r t u e a n d P l a t o n i c r e s o l u t i o n

t o t h e t e s t w e r e p r o v i d e d by the a , m u s e d B y r o n to s h o w h i s canhlng r e a d e r s

w h a t w o u l d b e t h e n o r m a l c o u r s e in t h i s hypothet ic :? . ! s i t u a t i o n , Wi th a n

II 12 Don J u a n , IL p . 7 x Ib id . , p. o2.

13 I b i d . , p. 66.

a t t i t u d e of m o c k h o r r o r , he n a r r a t e d the ensu ing e v e n t s wi th e s t r o ;

She thought of h e r own s t r e n g t h , and J u a n ' s you th . And of the fo l l y of a l l p r u d i s h f e a r s ,

V i c t o r i o u s v i r t u e , and d o m e s t i c t r u t h , And then of Dor* A l f o n s o ' s f i f t y y e a r s . . . .

J u l i a had h o n o u r , v i r t u e , t r u t h , and love , F o r Don Alfonso* and she inly s w o r e ,

By a l l the vows b e l o w to p o w e r s a b o v e , She n e v e r would d i s g r a c e the r i n g she w o r e ,

Nor l e a v e a w i s h w h i c h w i s d o m m i g h t r e p r o v e ; And whi l e she p o n d e r e d t h i s , b e s i d e s m u c h m o r e ,

One hand on J u a n ' s c a r e l e s s l y w a s t h r o w n , Qui te by m i s t a k e - - she though t it w a s h e r own;

The hand which s t i l l h e l d J u a n ' s , by d e g r e e s Gent ly , but p a l p a b l y c o n f i r m e d i t s g r a s p ,

As if it s a id , " d e t a i n m e , if you p l e a s e " ; Yet t h e r e ' s no doubt s h e only m e a n t to c l a s p

His f i n g e r s with a p u r e P l a t o n i c s q u e e z e . . . . (i, 107, 109, 111)

14

The r e a d e r is l ed d r a m a t i c a l l y to the m o m e n t j u s t p r e c e d i n g J u a n ' s

s u c c e s s and J u l i a ' s downfa l l , and m a i n t a i n i n g th i s t a b l o i d of a s u c c u m b i n g

J u l i a , B y r o n v e n t s h i s d i s g u s t t o w a r d the a p p e a r a n c e s wh ich h a v e b e e n

r e s p o n s i b l e f o r b r i n g i n g J u l i a to t h i s s o c i a l d e s t r u c t i o n in a s c a t h i n g

a t t a c k on the P l a t o n i c p r e t e n s e :

Oh P l a t o ! P l a t o ! you h a v e p a v e d the way , With y o u r c o n f o u n d e d f a n t a s i e s , to m o r e

I m m o r a l conduc t by the f a n c i e d sway Your s y s t e m f e i g n s o ' e r t he c o n t r o l l e s s c o r e

Of h u m a n h e a r t s , t h a n a l l the long a r r a y Of p o e t s and r o m a n c e r s ; - - Y o u ' r e a b o r e ,

A c h a r l a t a n , a c o x c o m b - - a n d have b e e n , At b e s t , no b e t t e r th^n a </o~betwe^n

(i, l l 6 ) l i } .

14 i c J£M- » PP- 7 8 « 8 0 - 8 1 . " ib id . , p. 84.

26

B y r o n h a d b e e n a c c u s e d of w r i t i n g s e d u c t i v e and I m m o r a l v e r s e w h i c h

16

no d e c e n t w o m a n w o u l d t h i n k of r e a d i n g w h e n Don J u a n w a s p u b l i s h e d .

He d e c l a r e s b i s own i n n o c e n c e and i n s i s t s t h a t if a n y p o e t i s to b e

b l a m e d , it i s t he one who s p r e a d the i n s i d i o u s p h i l o s o p h y w h i c h found

.many d e v o t e e s in h i s s o c i e t y , p r o b a b l y i n c l u d i n g m a n y of t h o s e who

w o u l d not r e a d h i s p o e m :

When a m a t o r y p o e t s s i n g t h e i r l o v e s

In l i qu id l i n e s m e l l i f l u o u s l y b l a n d , And p a i r t h e i r r h y m e s a s V e n u s y o k e s h e r d o v e s ,

T h e y l i t t l e t h i n k w h a t m i s c h i e f i s in hand ; T h e g r e a t e r t h e i r s u c c e s s t h e w o r s e it p r o v e s ,

A s Ovid*s v e r s e m a y g ive to u n d e r s t a n d ; E v e n P e t r a r c h ' s s e l f , if j u d g e d w i t h d u e s e v e r i t y , Is t h e P l a t o n i c p i m p of a l l p o s t e r i t y .

(vf 1) '

R y r o r i f s s a t i r e of t h e h y p o c r i s y of m a r r i a g e c e n t e r s on t h e

a p p e a r a n c e of a f f e c t i o n and c o n s t a n c y - - w h e n l o v e no l o n g e r b i n d s the

c o u p l e - - and i n c o n s t a n c y w h i c h io p r a c t i c e d w i t h d i s c o n c e r t i n g u n i v e r -

s a l i t y , a n d he p a r r i e s the b l o w s of a n a p p a r e n t l y v i r t u o u s s o c i e t y w h i l e

d e l i n e a t i n g t h e i r v i c e s . T h e i r o p p o s i t i o n i n c l u d e d a p e r s o n a l a t t a c k on

h i s l i a i s o n w i th T e r e s a . G u i c c i o l i , wThich w a s m a t e r i a l f o r sca.nd.al a m o n g

t h o s e c a n t - r i d d e n i n d i v i d u a l s who , t h o u g h p e r h a p s e n g a g e d in s o m e

" c h a s t e " l i a i s o n t h e m s e l v e s , w e r e p r o t e c t e d by t h e c o n v e n t i o n of 16

T r u m a n Guy S t e f f a n , The M a k i n g of a M a s t e r p i e c e , Vol . I of " Don J u a n , " 4 v o l s . (Aus t in , 1957), pp . 3 8 - 3 9 .

^ Don J u a n , I J, p. 4 i . L

n

m a r r i a g e . Lady Blessi t ig^ori r e c o r d e d B y r o n 1 8 c o n c e p t i o n of t r u e m a r i t a l

h a p p i n e s s a s d i s t i n g u i s h e d f r o m l o v e l e s s , though s o c i a l l y - r e s p e c t a b l e ,

w e d l o c k :

W e r e the C o n t e s s a G u i c c i o l i and I m a r r i e d , we shou ld , I a m s u r e , be c i t e d a s an e x a m p l e of c o n j u g a l h a p p i n e s s , and the d o m e s t i c and r e t i r e d l i f e we l e a d would en t i t l e us to r e s p e c t ; but our un ion , wan t ing the l e g a l and r e l i g i o u s p a r t of the c e r e m o n y of m a r r i a g e , d r a w s on us bo th c e n s u r e and bla.me . . . . When p a s s i o n is r e p l a c e d by b e t t e r f e e l i n g s - - t h o s e of a f f e c t i o n , f r i e n d s h i p , and c o n f i d e n c e —when , in s h o r t , the l i a i s o n has a l l of m a r r i a g e but i t s f o r m s , t h e n it j ^ t h a t we w i s h to give it the r e s p e c t a b i l i t y of w e d l o c k .

The o p p o s i t e s of t r u e love - - i n t r i g u e s and p e t t y p a s s i o n s — e s t a b l i s h e d

the p a c e of Can to I, but a s he m o v e s into Can to II, Byron s h o w s ' h i s

r e g a r d f o r t r u e love , f o r love a c c o r d i n g to n a t u r e . F r o m P l a t o n i c

p r e t e n s e , B y r o n m a n e u v e r s Don J u a n t h r o u g h the s h i p w r e c k wh ich

s e e m s to p r e p a r e h i s h e r o , by o b l i t e r a t i n g the p a s t , f o r the new e x p e r -

i e n c e in love awa i t i ng h i m on t h e G r e c i a n i s l e .

The h y p o c r i s y of l ove , in and out of m a r r i a g e , i s s h a r p l y

c o n t r a s t e d wi th the m o r e n a t u r a l and u n a f f e c t e d love w h i c h J u a n f i n d s

w i th H a i d e e . With no need f o r s o c i a l p r e t e n s e - - n e i t h e r P l a t o n i s m ,

c h a s t i t y , \ i r t u e , no r r i o n o r H a idee w a s c a p a b l c of g iv ing Don J u a n the

r e a l i t y of love ;

1 8 . C o u n t e s s of B l e s s i u g t o n , A J o u r n a l of C o n v e r s a t i o n s with L o r d

B y r o n (Bos ton , 1859), p. 133, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ — ,

28

Ha idee spoke not of s c r u p l e s , a s k ' d no vows, Nor o f i e r ' d any; she had neve r h e a r d

Of pi ight a.nd p r o m i s e s to be a spoase , Or p e r i l s by a loving m a i d m c u r r ' d ;

She was a l l which p u r e ignorance a l lows, And f lew to h e r young m a t e l ike a young b i rd ;

And, neve r having d r e a m t of f a l sehood , she Had not one word to say of cons tancy . ^ .

(ii, 19C}"

None can doubt his s i n c e r e approve 1 of this-, na tu ra l and uninhibi ted love

a s Byron r i s e s above s e n t i m e n t to p a s s i o n a t e de sc r ip t i on ;

Both were so young, and one so innocent , That bathing pr.s:- !d for nothing; Juan seern 'd

To h e r , as ' twe re , the kind of Kelng sent , Of whom t h e s e two ye-:.r-.-. she bad nightly d r e a m ' d ,

A something to be loved, o c r e a t u r e rnesxt To be h e r happ ines s , and whom she d e e m ' d

To r e n d e r happy; ail who joy would win Must s h a r e it, - - Happ Lr» e *. s w? s bcrn a Twin,,,

(it, 172 f"~ °

HaidSe ' s r e a l i s t i c , n a t u r a l express?ion of h e r love fo r Don Juan is

n u r t u r e d in a se t t ing oi xantasy—Caves , d e s e r t e d b e a c h e s , and. lush

vege t a t i on - -wh ich e m p h a s i z e s not the bas i c unrea l i ty of th is love but

p e r h a p s the b a r r e n n e s s of the soc ia l soi l in which love so of ten decoys .

In th i s set t ing, Nature can be fol lowed m o r e eas i ly . The pu r i ty of

I la idee s a f fec t ion for Don J u a n i.s i l l u s t r a t e d with many s u p e r b s t a n z a s ;

toge ther they f o r m a te l l ing c o m m e n t on the hypoc r i sy of love which

socie ty has been taught to ca l l " r o m a n t i c " :

IV..

_L)o£t Juan , Ii, 25?.

20 _ Ibid. , p. 247.

29

T h i s i s in o t h e r s a f a c t i t i o u s s t a t e . An op ium d r e a m of too m u c h you th and r e a d i n g ,

But w a s in t h e m t h e i r n a t u r e , o r t h e i r f a t e ; No n o v e l s e ' e r had s e t t h e i r young h e a r t s b l e e d i n g . . .

( iv ; 19)" 1

Although B y r o n ' s a d m i r a t i o n f o r t h i s s p e c i a l k ind of n a t u r a l and

u n a f f e c t e d love i s u n q u e s t i o n e d , a p a r t of the f a t a l i s m in h i s p s y c h o l o g y ,

t o g e t h e r wi th h i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the w o r l d , p r o m p t s h i m to m a i n t a i n

t h a t t h i s love is s o m e h o w f r a g i l e and e a s i l y s h a t t e r e d w h e n h a n d l e d by

the none-too-gentle society:

Y e a r s could but b r i n g t h e m c r u e l t h ings o r w r o n g ,

The w o r l d w a s not fo r t h e m , n o r t h e w o r l d ' s a r t F o r b e i n g s p a s s i o n a t e a s S a p p h o ' s song;

Love w a s b o r n wi th t h e m , in t h e m , so i n t e n s e , It w a s t h e i r v e r y s p i r i t - - n o t a s e n s e .

(iv, 27) '

And when L a m b r o r e t u r n e d to the i s l a n d , he b r o u g h t w i th h i m the m e a n s

to d e s t r o y t h i s love and the l o v e r s - - h i s p a t e r n a l n e e d to p r o t e c t h i s

daxighter and h i s u n c o m p r o m i s i n g c h a r a c t e r . Don J u a n w a s so ld into

s l a v e r y a g a i n s t H a i d e e ' s r e m o n s t r a n c e s , and she , o v e r c o m e wi th g r i e f ,

w i t h e r e d g r a d u a l l y and d ied , c a r r y i n g wi th h e r to the g r a v e t h e i r u n b o r n

ch i ld :

She d ied , but not a lone ; she he ld w i th in A s e c o n d p r i n c i p l e of l i f e , w h i c h m i g h t

Have d a w n ' d a f a i r and s i n l e s s chi ld of s in ; But c l o s e d i t s l i t t l e be ing wi thou t l i gh t ,

21 Ibid., p. 354.

22 Ibid. , p. 358.

30

A n d w e n t down to t h e g r a v e u n b o r n , w h e r e i n B l o s s o m a n d b o u g h l i e w i t h e r e d w i t h one b l i g h t ;

In v a i n t h e d e w s of H e a v e n d e s c e n d a b o v e T h e b l e e d i n g f l o w e r a n d b l a s t e d f r u i t of l o v e ^

(iv, 7 0 ) ^

It i s u n l i k e B y r o n to i n d u l g e in m e r e s e n t i m e n t in Don J u a n . T h i s

s t a n z a i s a n i m p a s s i o n e d p l e a f o r a m o r e r e a l i s t i c a t t i t u d e t o w a r d

l o v e r s and t h e i r l o v e , w h a t e v e r t h e i r m a r i t a l s t a t u s . Don J u a n a n d

H a i d e e w e r e no t m a r r i e d , bu t , B y r o n a s k s , w h a t p o s s i b l e s i g n i f i c a n c e

c o u l d t h i s h a v e s i n c e t h e y l o v e d ? He a t t a c k s p r u d i s h c e n s u r e , a n d h e

d e f e n d s t h e m o r a l i t y of t h i s l o v e a n d of h i s p o e t r y f o r p r e s e n t i n g i t s

r e a l i s m ;

H a i d e e a n d J u a n w e r e n o t m a r r i e d , bu t

T h e f a u l t w a s t h e i i s , no t m i r e ; i t i s no t f a i r , C h a s t e r e a d e r , t h e n , in a n y w a y to p u t

T h e b l a m e on m e , u n l e s s y o u w i s h t h e y w e r e ; T h e n if you T d h a v e ' t h e m w e d d e d , p l e a s e to s h u t

T h e b o o k w h i c h t r e a t s of t h i s e r r o n e o u s p a i r , B e f o r e t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s g r o w t o o a w f u l ; l T i s d a n g e r o u s to r e a d of l o v e s u n l a w f u l . ^4

( i i i , 12)

F r o m the o a s i s of H a i d e e ' s l o v e , Don J u a n i s s e n t on a s l a v e s h i p

t o t h e h u m a n m a r k e t in C o n s t a n t i n o p l e , w h e r e h e i s p u r c h a s e d b y G u l b e y a z .

T h e t h e m e of i n f i d e l i t y i s p r e s e n t e d a g a i n bu t w i t h a d i f f e r e n t c o n c l u s i o n .

F o r B y r o n ' s p u r p o s e s , Don J u a n w a s n o w r e a l i s t i c a l l y m a r r i e d a n d

G u l b e y a z w a s no t , a s h e r a t t i t u d e h a d d i v o r c e d h e r s p i r i t u a l l y f r o m the

S u l t a n . A s n o t e d p r e v i o u s l y , B y r o n i n s i n u a t e s t h a t l o v e , w h e t h e r s o c i e t y 23 24

M l - P* 3 8 2 - Ib id . , p . 282 .

31

c a l l s i t m a r r i a g e o r l i a i s o n , m a k e s one c o n s t a n t , w h i l e m a r r i a g e

w i t h o u t l o v e c r e a t e s no tie53 of c o n s t a n c y :

She now c o n c e i v e d a l l d i f f i c u l t i e s p a s t , A n d d e e m e d h e r s e l f e x t r e m e l y c o n d e s c e n d i n g - -

When , b e i n g m a d e h e r p r o p e r t y a t l a s t . W i t h o u t m o r e p r e f a c e , in h e r b l u e e y e s b l e n d i n g

P a s s i o n , a n d p o w e r , a g l a n c e o n h i m s h e c a s t , And m e r e l y s a y i n g , " C h r i s t i a n , c a n s t t h o u l o v e ? n

C o n c e i v e d t h a t p h r a s e w a s q u i t e e n o u g h to m o v e . (v, 1 1 6 ) 2 5

Don J u a n , w h o s e i m a g e - - bo th h i s t o r i c a l l y a n d in B y r o n 1 s p r e s e n t

n a r r a t i o n - - m a d e s o c i e t y s t a m p h i m " r a k e , " s u r p r i s e s b o t h G u l b e y a z

a n d B y r o n ' s h y p o c r i t i c a l r e a d e r s :

Bu t J u a n , w h o b a d s t i l l h i s m i n d o ' e r f l o w i n g Wi th Ha i d e e ' s i s l e a n d s o f t I o n i a n f a c e ,

F e l t t h e w a r m b l o o d , w h i c h in h i s f a c e w a s g lowing* R u s h b a c k u p o n h i s h e a r t , w h i c h f i l l e d a p a c e ,

And l e f t h i s c h e e k s a s p a l e a s s n o w d r o p s b l o w i n g : T h e s e w o r d s w e n t t h r o u g h h i s s o u l l i k e A r a b - s p e a r s , So t h a t h e s p o k e no t , b u t b u r s t in to t e a r s .

J u a n * s [ r e p u t a t i o n ] w a s good ; a n d m i g h t h a v e b e e n s t i l l b e t t e r , Bu t h e h a d got H a i d e e in to h i s h e a d :

H o w e v e r s t r a n g e , be c o u l d no t y e t f o r g e t h e r , W h i c h m a d e h i m s e e m e x c e e d i n g l y i l l - b r e c L , •

(v, 117, 1 2 4 ) w °

Don J u a n h a d l e a r n e d t h e l e s s o n B y r o n c o n t i n u a l l y t r i e d t o i n s t i l l in h i s

r e a d e r s : h e k n e w t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n l o v i n g a n d m a k i n g l o v e . B y r o n

27 h a d gone t h r o u g h a p e r i o d of d e b a u c h e r y a f t e r a r r i v i n g in I t a l y , and

2

6 7 2 - 6 8 '

26 M A ' > P- 4 7 y - I b id . , pp . 4 7 8 , 4 8 3 .

L e s l i e A, M a r c h a r t d , B y r o n : A ^ i o g r a p h y (New Y o r k , 1957) , II,

he u n d e r s t o o d the d i f f e r e n c e s between, the love he had in m a r r i a g e wi th

L a d y B y r o n , l i c e n t i o u s love with s e v e r a l , and the m a t u r e love wh ich

had deve loped b e t w e e n T e r e s a Gu icc io l i and h i m s e l f wi thou t s o c i e t y ' s

s a n c t i o n . P a s s i o n a l o n e , wi thout the " a f f e c t i o n , f r i e n d s h i p , and

28

c o n f i d e n c e " c h a r a c t e r i z i n g h i s love f o r the C o u n t e s s , B y r o n c o n d e m n s

h e a r t i l y and s i n c e r e l y . ?r>d t h i s c o n d e m n a t i o n e x t e n d s to t h e s o c i e t y

w h i c h p r a c t i c e s , but v i r t u o u s l y d e n o u n c e s , p a s s i o n a t e i n f i d e l i t y :

I know Gu lbeyaz w a s e x t r e m e l y w r o n g ;

I own it, I d e p l o r e i t , I c o n d e m n it; But I d e t e s t a l l f i c t i o n even in song ,

And so m u s t t e l l t he t r u t h , h o w e ' e r vou b l a m e i t .

(vi, 8)

B y r o n does not f i n i s h h i s a t t a c k on t h e h y p o c r i s i e s s u r r o u n d i n g

love and m a r r i a g e wi th Can to V, and he o f t e n d i g r e s s e s into a n e w

a t t a c k , e s p e c i a l l y in the l a t t e r c a n t o s . When J u a n c r e a t e s a d i s t u r b a n c e

in the s e r a g l i o wi th Duciu, Gu lbeyaz s e n d s h i m to be d r o w n e d . He

m a n a g e s to e s c a p e wi th J o h n s o n , h i s E n g l i s h f r i e n d , to t h e R u s s i a n

a r m y which i s m a r s h a l l e d f o r an a t t a c k on the T u r k i s h c i t y of I s m a i l .

A f t e r giving an i m p r e s s i v e p e r f o r m a n c e d u r i n g the s i e g e , Don J u a n is

s e n t to P e t e r s b u r g wi th the m e s s a g e of v i c t o r y , and C a t h e r i n e the G r e a t ,

i m p r e s s e d by h is you th fu l m a s c u l i n i t y , m a k e s h i m the r e i g n i n g c o u r t

f a v o r i t e . Don .Juan, having e x p e r i e n c e d love in a d u l t e r y and love 28 _ ™ ~

B le s s ing to t i , A J o u r n a l of. C o n v e r s a t i o n wi th L o r d B y r o n , p. 133. 29.

"Dun J u a n , III, 10.

33

a c c o r d i n g to n a t u r e , now engaged in s e l f - l o v e and the s a t i s f a c t i o n of

a s o v e r e i g n 1 s l u s t ;

. . . t he S o v e r e i g n w a s s m i t t e n ,

J u a n m u c h f l a t t e r e d by h e r love , o r l u s t ; - -I canno t s t op to a l t e r w o r d s once w r i t t e n ,

And the two a r e so m i x e d wi th h u m a n d u s t , Tha t he who n a m e s ojne, both p e r c h a n c e m a y h i t on;

But in such m a t t e r s R u s s i a ' s m i g h t y E m p r e s s B e h a v e d no b e t t e r t han a c o m m o n S e m p s t r e s s .

(ix, 77 ) 3 0

The h o t - h o u s e e n v i r o n m e n t of the c o u r t e x h a u s t e d Don J'uan, and the

c o u r t p h y s i c i a n s s u g g e s t e d t r a v e l a s t h e s u r e s t m e a n s of p r e s e r v i n g

h i s l i f e . It w a s d e t e r m i n e d t h a t he shou ld go to E n g l a n d a s C a t h e r i n e ' s

a m b a s s a d o r , and when the t i m e f o r p a r t i n g a r r i v e d , "So m u c h did J 'uan ' s

s e t t i n g off d i s t r e s s h e r , / She could not f ind a t f i r s t a f i t s u c c e s s o r ' '

31

(x, 47) . B y r o n ' s h u m o r is t e m p e r e d with b i t t e r n e s s . Th i s is an

a t t a c k on s e l f - i n d u l g i n g m o n a r c h s , bu t it is a l s o a c o n d e m n a t i o n of the

ve i l of l u s t which so o f t en p a s s e s a s l o v e .

Once in E n g l a n d , Don J u a n is i n i t i a t e d into s o c i e t y , and a s a

g u e s t a t L o r d H e n r y A m u n d e v i l l e ' s c o u n t r y r e s i d e n c e , he m e e t s

A u r o r a Raby :

J u a n k n e w nought of s u c h a c h a r a c t e r - -High, ye t r e s e m b l i n g not h i s l o s t B a i d e e ;

Yet e a c h w a s r a d i a n t in h e r p r o p e r s p h e r e : The I s l and g i r ] , b r e d up by the lone s e a ,

30 I b i d . , p. 221.

31 Ibid. , p. 247.

34

M o r e w a r m , a s l o v e l y , a n d not l e s s s i n c e r e , W a s N a t u r e ' s a l l ; A u r o r a c o u l d not b e

N o r w o u l d b e t h u s : - - t h e d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e m W a s s u c h a s l i e s b e t w e e n a f l o w e r a n d g e m .

(xv, 58)

R u t h e r f o r d s u g g e s t s t h a t B y r o n h a s now a b a n d o n e d h i s i d e a l of N a t u r e ,

a n d , w i t h A u r o r a Ra by, h e m u s t h a v e c o n s i d e r e d d e s c r i b i n g an. " i d e a l

of w o m a n h o o d a t t a i n a b l e w i t h i n s o c i e t y , t h o u g h f r e e f r o m a l l i t s v i c e s

33

and i l l u s i o n s . " B y r o n ' s w o r k on t h e p o e m w a s , of c o u r s e , e n d e d

b e f o r e h e w a s a b l e to d e l i n e a t e h e r c h a r a c t e r . T h e c h a n g e of t o n e

b e t w e e n h i s p r e s e n t a t i o n s of C a t h e r i n e t h e G r e a t a n d A u r o r a R a b y d o e s ,

h o w e v e r , i n d i c a t e a d e c i d e d c h a n g e in a t t i t u d e . Whi l e h e s e e m s to

s h r i n k f r o m C a t h e r i n e a s f r o m a d i s e a s e , he e v i n c e s a n u n d e n i a b l e

a f f e c t i o n , o r a t l e a s t a d m i r a t i o n , f o r t h e c o o l , s e l f - p o s s e s s e d A u r o r a .

Don J u a n s e e m s a b o u t to f a l l in l o v e w i t h t h i s e x a m p l e of c i v i l i z e d

34

p e r f e c t i o n w h e n t h e p o e m e n d s a b r u p t l y w i t h L a d y F i t z - F u l k e ,

a n o t h e r g u e s t , s e e k i n g , no d o u b t , a n a d u l t e r o u s a s s i g n a t i o n w i t h t h e

h a n d s o m e a m b a s s a d o r f r o m R u s s i a . T h e c y c l e a p p e a r s n e v e r - e n d i n g ;

Don J u a n s e e m s j u s t s e t t l e d in to l o v e w h e n a d e g r a d e d a n d d e g r a d i n g

f o r m of t h e s o c i a l h y b r i d - - a f f e c t e d a n d h y p o c r i t i c a l l o v e - - a s s e r t s i t s e l f . I b id . , p . 4 8 1 .

33 A n d r e w R u t h e r f o r d , B y r o n : A C r i t i c a l S tudy ( S t a n f o r d , 1961)

p . 203 .

34 Ib id .

35

T h e m a j o r t h e m e of t h e p r o b l e m of a p p e a r a n c e a n d r e a l i t y in Don

35

J u a n i s i l l u s t r a t e d by B y r o n ' s t r e a t m e n t of l o v e and m a r r i a g e . A l t h o u g h

h i s c r i t i c i s m of a l l t h a t i s f a l s e in t h e s e s o c i a l l y - o r i e n t e d c u s t o m s

e x t e n d s t h r o u g h o u t t h e lengi.hy p o e m , h i s p o s i t i o n n e v e r w a v e r s :

B y r o n ' s v i e w of m a r r i a g e i s u n c o m p r o m i s i n g l y u n f a v o r a b l e ; s o m e of t h e b i t t e r e s t v e r s e s of Don ,Juan a r e r e s e r v e d to c o n d e m n t h i s , t o h i m , u n c o m f o r t a b l e a n d a r t i f i c i a l s t a t e of b e i n g . L o v e i s an i n s t i t u t i o n of n a t u r e , b u t m a r r i a g e of s o c i e t y , a n d t h e two a r e r a r e l y c o m p a t i b l e .

T h e e v e n t s w h i c h B y r o n n a r r a t e s a r e d e s i g n e d to c a r r y t h e b u r d e n of

t h e r e a l i t y h e i s d e t e r m i n e d to p r e s e n t t o h i s s o c i e t y . H i s o p i n i o n s a b o u t

m a r r i a g e a n d t h e a b u s e s of t h i s i n s t i t u t i o n m o s t p r o b a b l y a r e n o t so

o b j e c t i v e a s t h e y m i g h t h a v e b e e n h a d h e n e v e r b e e n h u r t by m a r r i a g e .

B y r o n w i l l n o t a l l o w a b s o l u t e s in a n y f o r m , h o w e v e r , a n d h e d o e s s t a t e

t h a t t h e r e a l i s m h e h a s p r e s e n t e d in _pon J u a n i s i n d i c a t i v e o n l y of t h e

37

g e n e r a l l e v e l of h y p o c r i s y . H i s v i e w s on l o v e a r e s i m i l a r l y c o l o r e d

by h i s e x p e r i e n c e , a n d w h i l e B y r o n s h o w s l i t t l e m o r e t h a n b i t t e r n e s s

t o w a r d m a r r i a g e , h i s r e l a t i o n s w i t h t h e C o u n t e s s G u i c c i o l i m u s t h a v e

h a d a n a m e l i o r a t i v e e f f e c t on h i s c o n c e p t of l o v e . H i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g of

the m o r e n a t u r a l a s p e c t s of l o v e p r o d u c e s t h e p r a i s e that, i s e s p e c i a l l y

n o t i c e a b l e in C a n t o II, bu t i t i s t h e s a m e u n d e r s t a n d i n g w h i c h u r o m o t e s

35 B o y d , B y r o n ' s " D o n J u a n " : 'A C r i t i c a l S tudy , p . 58.

50 I b i d . , u . 64 .

Don J u a n , III, 44i.

36

the s h a r p c o n d e m n a t i o n of love tha i is h a m p e r e d and c o n s t r i c t e d by-

s o c i a l a f f e c t a t i o n . As h i s a t t i t ude t o w a r d m a r r i a g e r e m a i n s c o n s t a n t ,

so m i g h t h i s v a r i o u s a t t i t u d e s t o w a r d love be d i s t i l l e d to an e s s e n t i a l

p o s i t i o n :

E s p e c i a l l y he c o n d e m n s the h y p o c r i s y of s o c i e t y and i nd iv idua l s t o w a r d love . He b e g i n s in Canto I a t t a c k i n g the h y p o c r i s y of p a r e n t s and h u s b a n d s t o w a r d love and m a r r i a g e , and in the l a s t c a n t o s he is s t i l l s p u r r i n g to the c h a r g e . Al l h y p o c r i s y in love is w i c k e d and one of the p r i m e evi l e f f e c t s o c c a s i o n c d by love , e s p e c i a l l y the h y p o c r i s y of " P l a t o n i c s M and o t h e r f o r m s -of s e l f -d e c e p t i o n . . . . He though t the duty of the poe t is to s p e a k out p l a i n l y and wi th fu l l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , and he t r i e d in t he v a r i o u s and s u c c e s s i v e love e p i s o d e s of Don J j ian to e x e m p l i f y h i s c o n c e p t i o n of the t r u t h abou t

o l ove .

B y r o n a t t e m p t s to p r e s e n t a r e a l i s t i c d e s c r i p t i o n of love , and h i s p u r p o s e

i s t w o - f o l d . He i l l u s t r a t e s l o v e ' s a d u l t e r a t e d s u b s t i t u t e , wh ich a m o r o u s

v e r s e and n o v e l s f o i s t on an a c c e p t i n g s o c i e t y - - f o r w h o m h y p o c r i s y

p a s s e s a s r e a l i t y ; and, he w i s h e s to show the h e i g h t s wh ich love m i g h t

a t t a i n when s t r i p p e d of the we igh t of a p p e a r a n c e . M a r r i a g e of the kind

a c h i e v e d by J u a n and Ha idee , o r by T e r e s a and h i m s e l f , r e c e i v e s B y r o n ' s

a p p r o b a t i o n , but h i s d e n u n c i a t i o n of t h a t d e g r a d e d f o r m of m a r r i a g e which

is u s u a l l y p r a c t i c e d in s o c i e t y is o c c a s i o n e d by the s a m e e m o t i o n s "wh ich

evoked h i s s a t i r e of o t h e r i n s t i t u t i o n s - - h i s love of l i b e r t y and h i s

<

'Boyd, B y r o n ' s "Don J u a n " : A C r i t i c a l Study, pp . 6 4 - 6 5 .

d e t e s t a t i o n of i n s i n c e r i t y . . . . And he p o u r s ou t s a r c a s m u p o n

39 m a r r i a g e b e c a u s e to h i m it s p e l l s h y p o c r i s y a n d b o n d a g e . "

39 T r u e b l o o d , T h e F l o w e r i n g of B y r o n ' s G e n i u s , p . 161.

37

C H A P T E R III .

A R E A L I S T I C A P P R A I S A L O F

WAR A N D D E S P O T I S M

W h e n C a n t o V w a s c o m p l e t e d in N o v e m b e r , 1820, B y r o n e n d e d t h e

f i r s t u n e v e n p e r i o d of c o m p o s i t i o n of Don J u a n . Ke h a d r e c e i v e d m u c h

o p p o s i t i o n to h i s m o r a l l y r e a l i s t i c p o r t r a y a l of s o c i e t y a n d i t s appeara .nc .e i

.of l o v e a n d m a r r i a g e ; h i s f e e l i n g of d i s a p p o i n t e d f r u s t r a t i o n i s u n d e r -

s t a n d a b l e . It i s no t s o s u r p r i s i n g t h e n t h a t h i s s p i r i t of a t t a c k w a v e r e d

m o m e n t a r i l y , a n d o n e m o n t h b e f o r e t h e A u g u s t , 1821, p u b l i c a t i o n of

C a n t o s III, IV", a n d V, B y r o n a p p e n d e d a n o t e to a l e t t e r h e h a d w r i t t e n

t o J o h n M u r r a y on J u l y 6, 1821 s t a t i n g t h a t " a t t h e p a r t i c u l a r r e q u e s t

of t h e C o n t e s s a G. I h a v e p r o m i s e d no t to c o n t i n u e Don J u a n . You w i l l

t h e r e f o r e l o o k u p o n t h e s e 3 c a n t o s a s t h e l a s t of t h a t p o e m . It d o e s

n o t s e e m p r o b a b l e t h a t B y r o n w o u l d h a v e b e e n s o a m e n a b l e to T e r e s a ' s

p l e a s to q u i t h i s w o r k on Don J u a n , a n d o n e s h o u l d s e a r c h f o r o t h e r ,

m o r e s i g n i f i c a n t , m o t i v e s w h i c h m i g h t h a v e d e l a y e d h i s c o n t i n u i n g to do

G e o r g e G o r d o n , L o r d B y r o n , L e t t e r s a n d J o u r n a l s , Vo l . V of Th® W o r k s L o r d B y r o n , e d i t e d by R o w l a n d E , P r o t h e r o , 13 v o l s . (New Y o r k , 1966) , p. 168. H e r e a f t e r c i t e d a s L e t t e r s a n d J o u r n a l s , V.

38

l i t e r a r y b a t t l e w i t h s o c i a l v i c e s . R u t h e r f o r d o f f e r s t h e e x p l a n a t i o n

t h a t " f o r t h e g r e a t e r p a r t of 1821 , . . B y r o n w a s l e s s i n t e r e s t e d in

2 s a t i r e t h a n in h i s e x p e r i m e n t s in d r a m a . " E v e n s o , w r i t i n g w a s s t i l l

3

o n l y a s u b s t i t u t e i o r m of a c t i o n , a n d w h e n t h e I t a l i a n p o l i t i c a l b a r o m e t e r

i n d i c a t e d r e v o l u t i o n a g a i n s t t h e A u s t r i a . n o p p r e s s o r s , B y r o n w a s a n x i o u s

to i n v o l v e b o t h h i m s e l f a n d h i s f i n a n c i a l r e s o u r c e s in t h e m o v e m e n t f o r

l i b e r t y .

F r o m t h e s p r i n g of 1820 u n t i l t h e s p r i n g of t h e f o l l o w i n g y e a r ,

B y r o n ' s l e t t e r s to E n g l a n d a r e f i l l e d w i t h e x c i t e d n e w s a s t h e f o r t u n e s

of t h e l i b e r a t i o n m o v e m e n t d e v e l o p e d m o m e n t u m . On A p r i l 16, 1820,

h e w r o t e to J o h n M u r r a y :

T h e S p a n i s h a n d F r e n c h a f f a i r s h a v e s e t t h e I t a l i a n s in a f e r m e n t ; a n d no w o n d e r : t h e y h a v e b e e n t o o l o n g t r a m p l e d o n . . . . I s h a l l , if p e r m i t t e d by t h e n a t i v e s , r e m a i n to s e e w h a t w i l l c o m e of i t , a n d p e r h a p s t o t a k e a t u r n w i t h t h e m . . . i n c a s e of b u s i n e s s ; f o r I s h a l l t h i n k i t b y f a r t h e m o s t i n t e r e s t i n g s p e c t a c l e a n d m o m e n t in e x i s t e n c e , t o s e e t h e I t a l i a n s j>end t h e B a r b a r i a n s of a l l n a t i o n s b a c k to t h e i r own d e n s .

B y S e p t e m b e r , B y r o n h a d t h o u g h t t h a t t h e f i g h t i n g m u s t b e g i n i m m e d i a t e l y ,

bu t w h e n h e w r o t e to M u r r a y on D e c e m b e r 28, 3 820 , no s i g n i f i c a n t ,

2 A n d r e w R u t h e r f o r d , B y r o n ; A C r i t i c a l S t u d y ( S t a n f o r d , 1961) ,

p . 135. " "

3 G e o r g e G o r d o n , L o r d B y r o n , L e t t e r s a n d J o u r n a l s , Vol , IV of

T h e W o r k s of L o r d B y r o n , e d i t e d b y R o w l a n d E . P r o t h e r o , 13 v o l s . ( N e w Y o r k , 1966) , 6 2 - 6 3 . H e r e a f t e r c i t e d a s L e t t e r s a n d J o u r n a l s , IV.

4 - . . g L e t t e r s a n d J o u r n a l s , V, 8 - 1 0 . I b i d . , p p . 6 8 - 6 9 .

40

6

c o n c e r t e d m i l i t a r y o f f e n s i v e had ye t b e e n p r e c i p i t a t e d . The I t a l i a n s

w e r e not u n i t e d and m o v e d too s lowly f o r B y r o n , who w a s i m p a t i e n t f o r

a c t i o n . His p a s s i o n a t e i n v o l v e m e n t in the c a u s e f o r I t a l i a n l i b e r t y is

i l l u s t r a t e d wi th the -en t ry of J a n u a r y 9, 1821 in h i s d i a r y :

They m e a n to i n s u r r e c t h e r e , and a r e to h o n o r m e wi th a c a l l t h e r e u p o n . I s h a l l no t f a l l b a c k ; though I d o n ' t th ink t h e m in f o r c e o r h e a r t s u f f i c i e n t to m a k e m u c h of i t . But , o n w a r d ! - - it i s now the t i m e to ac t , and wha t s i g n i f i e s s e l f , if a s i n g l e s p a r k of t h a t wh ich would be w o r t h y of the p a s t c a n be b e q u e a t h e d ur iquenched ly to the f u t u r e ? It is not one m a n , n o r a m i l l i o n , but the s p i r i t of l i b e r t y wh ich m u s t be s p r e a d .

B y r o n w a s o p t i m i s t i c in s p i t e of the d e c l i n i n g s p i r i t s of h i s

3

c o - r e v o l u t i o n a r i e s ; he f e l t tha t n t h e k i n g - t i m e s a r e f a s t f i n i s h i n g . M

His o p t i m i s m w a s t e m p e r e d wi th p e s s i m i s m r e g a r d i n g the s u c c e s s of

the p r e s e n t b a t t l e wi th t y r a n n y , but t h a t the I t a l i a n s , and a l l m a n k i n d ,

would s u r e l y be f r e e d of o p p r e s s i o n f r o m d e s p o t s s o m e day w a s c o n t i n -

u a l l y u p p e r m o s t in h i s m i n d . The e n t r y in h i s d i a r y f o r F e b r u a r y 18,

1821 is w o r t h y of n o t i c e :

T o - d a y I have had no c o m m u n i c a t i o n wi th m y C a r b o n a r i

c r o n i e s ; but , in the m e a n t i m e , m y l o w e r a p a r t m e n t s a r e f u l l of t h e i r b a y o n e t s , f u s i l s , c a r t r i d g e s , and wha t no t . I s u p p o s e t h a t t h e y c o n s i d e r m e a s a depo t , to be s a c r i f i c e d , in c a s e of a c c i d e n t s . It is no g r e a t m a t t e r , s u p p o s i n g tha t I t a ly cou ld be l i b e r a t e d , who o r wha t is s a c r i f i c e d . It is a g r a n d o b j e c t - - t h e v e r y p o e t r y of p o l i t i c s . Only t h i n k - - a f r e e I t a l y ! ! ! ''

6 7 I b i d . , pp. 145-146 . Ibid_. , p . 163.

8 9 I b i d . , p. 173. Ib id . , p. 205.

41

W h e n t h e m o v e m e n t c o l l a p s e d , B y r o n ' s d i s a p p o i n t m e n t w a s o b v i o u s .

" T h e p l a n h a s m i s s e d - - t h e C h i e f s a r e b e t r a y e d , " h e w r o t e in h i s d i a r y

10

on F e b r u a r y 24; " I a l w a y s h a d a n i d e a t h a t i t w o u l d b e b u n g l e d . . . . "

H i s f r u s t r a t i o n o v e r t h e l o s s of t he p e o p l e ' s o p p o r t u n i t y to l i b e r a t e

t h e m s e l v e s , a n d h i s o p p o r t u n i t y t o p a r t i c i p a t e a c t i v e l y , w a s r e l i e v e d

in h i s u s u a l m a n n e r , a s h e w r o t e to T h o m a s M o o r e on A p r i l 28, 1821:

And n o w l e t u s b e l i t e r a r y : - - a s a d f a l l i n g o f f , b u t i t i s a l w a y s a c o n s o l a t i o n . If " O t h e l l o ' s o c c u p a t i o n b e g o n e , " l e t u s t a k e to t h e n e x t b e s t ; a n d , if w e c a n n o t c o n t r i b u t e to m a k e m a n k i n d m o r e f r e e a n d ^ ̂ w i s e , w e m a y a m u s e o u r s e l v e s a n d t h o s e who l i k e i t .

In J u n e , 1822, B y r o n a n n o u n c e d t h a t T e r e s a h a d l i f t e d h e r b a n

12

a g a i n s t h i s c o n t i n u i n g Don J u a n , a n d h e r e t u r n e d to h i s p o e m a f t e r s n

i n t e r v a l of a l m o s t two y e a r s . H o w e v e r , a n e w s p i r i t of s e r i o u s n e s s

s e e m s to p e r v a d e t h e w o r k f r o m t h i s p o i n t f o r w a r d . It w a s p e r h a p s t h e

r e v o l u t i o n a r y a c t i v i t i e s of t h e p r e v i o u s y e a r w h i c h d e t e r m i n e d t h e s p i r i t

of e s p e c i a l l y h i s n e w e s t c a n t o s e x p o s i n g " t h e h o r r i b l e r e a l i t i e s t h a t l i e 13

b e h i n d g l i b t a l k a b o u t f a m e , g l o r y , a n d h e r o i c d e e d s . " In J u l y , h e

w r o t e to M o o r e , a s k i n g f o r t h e r e t u r n of t h e f r a g m e n t s h e h a d p r e v i o u s l y 10T1 . , 11

Ib id . , p . 208 . ' I b id . , p . 272 ;

12 G e o r g e G o r d o n , L o r d B y r o n , L e t t e r s a n d J o u r n a l s , Vo l . VI of

T h e W o r k s of L o r d B y r o n , e d i t e d by R o w l a n d E . P r o t h e r o , 13 v o l s . (New Y o r k , 1966) , 95 . H e r e a f t e i c i t e d a s L e t t e r s and J o u r n a l s , VI.

13 , , K . u t n e r f o r d , B y r o n : A C r i t i c a l S tudy , p. 166.

42

14 w r i t t e n a g a i n s t Wel l ing ton , and on A u g u s t 8, 1822, he w r o t e a g a i n to

e x p l a i n h i s p u r p o s e f o r the m o s t r e c e n t s e c t i o n of h i s p o e m :

I have w r i t t e n t h r e e m o r e c a n t o s of Don Ju.an, and a m h o v e r i n g on the b r i n k of a n o t h e r (the ninth) . The r e a s o n I wan t the s t a n z a s a g a i n wh ich I s e n t you i s , t ha t a s t h e s e c a n t o s c o n t a i n a fu l l d e t a i l ( l ike t h e s t o r m in Can to Second) of the s i e g e and a s s a u l t of I s m a e l [ s i c ] , wi th m u c h of s a r c a s m on t h o s e b u t c h e r s in l a r g e b u s i n e s s , y o u r m e r c e n a r y s o l d i e r y , it is a good o p p o r t u n i t y of g r a c i n g the p o e m wi th x x x . With t h e s e t h ings and t h e s e f e l l o w s , it is n e c e s s a r y , in t h e p r e s e n t c l a s h of p h i l o s o p h y and t y r a n n y , to t h r o w a w a y the s c a b b a r d . I know it is a g a i n s t f e a r f u l odds ; but the b a t t l e m u s t be fought ; and it w i l l be e v e n t u a l l y f o r the good of m a n k i n d , w h a t e v e r it m a y be f o r the i nd iv idua l who

1 5

r i s k s h i m s e l f .

It i s no t d i f f i c u l t to s e e a s i m i l a r s e r i o u s n e s s of p u r p o s e m o t i v a t i n g

both B y r o n ' s p a r t i c i p a t i o n in t he I t a l i an l i b e r a t i o n m o v e m e n t and in the

s a t i r e of h i s l a t e s t a d d i t i o n to Don J u a n . " H i s m e t a p h o r s h e r e s e r v e

. . . to r e m i n d us t h a t he now s a w p o e t r y a s an a l t e r n a t e m o d e of a c t i on ,

a s a n o t h e r m e a n s by wh ich he could h e l p h u m a n i t y . . . by f o r c i n g t h e m 16

to s e e the t r u t h , and r o u s i n g t h e m to i nd igna t ion and r e b e l l i o n . u

Byron 1 s a t t a c k on w a r is r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of t he l i b e r a l thought of

h i s age ;

Th i s w a s the p e r i o d when the i d e a s of i s o l a t e d p h i l o s o p h e r s ,

p o e t s , and g r o u p s , who f o r c e n t u r i e s p a s t h a d i n v e i g h e d a g a i n s t w a r , b e g a n , u n d e r the s t r e s s of c u r r e n t e v e n t s , to 14

J . ,e t ters and J o u r n a l s , VI, 96.

1 5 Ibid. , p. 101.

1 6 R u t h e r f o r d , B y r o n ; A C r i t i c a l Study, p. 167.

s p r e a d to the m u l t i t u d e s and to t ake s h a p e in p o l i t i c a l and s o c i a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s f o r w o r l d p e a c e , and the ou t lawing of v / a r s . (

T h e r e is an a p p a r e n t p a r a d o x , h o w e v e r , b e t w e e n h i s a t t a c k on w a r in

Don J u a n and h i s p a r t i c i p a t i o n in the I t a l i a n C a r b o n a r i . An e x a m i n a t i o n

of B y r o n ' s p h i l o s o p h y on w a r r e v e a l s t ha t he w a s o p p o s e d f i r s t to

t y r a n n y and s t i f l e d f r e e d o m , both ind iv idua l and n a t i o n a l , and he saw

tha t w a r w a s o f t e n the p roduc t of t h i s t y r a n n y . Th i s c o n c e p t w a s

p r e s e n t e d e a r l i e r in the t h i r d can to of Chi lde Haro ld*s P i l g r i m a g e :

While W a t e r l o o wi th C a n n a e ! s c a r n a g e v i e s , M o r a t and M a r a t h o n twin n a m e s s h a l l s t and ; They w e r e t r u e G l o r y ' s s t a i n l e s s v i c t o r i e s , Won by the u n a m b i t i o u s h e a r t and hand Of a p r o u d , b r o t h e r l y , and c iv ic band , Al l unbought c h a m p i o n s in no p r i n c e l y c a u s e Of v i c e - e n t a i l e d C o r r u p t i o n ; t h e y no l a n d D o o m e d to b e w a i l the b l a s p h e m y of l a w s

Making K i n g s ' r i g h t s d iv ine , by s o m e D r a c o n i c c lause*

(i i i , 6 4 ) 1 8

C o n s e q u e n t l y , h i s a t t a c k is d i i ec:ted a g a i n s t t he d e s p o t s w h o s e a m b i t i o n

s t i r s t h e m to e n g a g e in a g g r e s s i v e w a r s f o r s e l f - a g g r a n d i z e m e n t .

C o n s i d e r i n g h i s p o s i t i o n , it s e e m s l o g i c a l t ha t he would s a n c t i o n , and

p a r t i c i p a t e in, w a r s fough t in the d e f e n s e of n a t i o n a l and ind iv idua l

l i b e r t y . B y r o n ' s open a d v o c a c y of w a r s of l i b e r a t i o n o r r e v o l u t i o n

17 E l i z a b e t h F . Boyd, Byiroir s "Don J u a n ' ' : A C r i t i c a l Study

(New B r u n s w i c k , New J e r s e y , J 945), pp. 7 6 - 7 7 .

18 G e o r g e C o r d o n , L o r d B y r o n , P o e t r y , Vol. II of The W o r k s of

L o r d B y r o n , ed i t ed by E r n e s t H. C o l e r i d g e , 13 v o l s . (New Y o r k , 1966), pp." 2 5 5 - 2 5 6 .

44

a g a i n s t d e s p o t i c p o w e r s , s u c h a s Aus t r ia , and T u r k e y , and a g a i n s t

u n s y m p a t h e t i c s o v e r e i g n s is the r e s u l t of h i s p h i l o s o p h i c a l i n q u i r y into

the p r o b l e m of d e s p o t i s m . When he r e t u r n e d to the c o m p o s i t i o n of

Don J u a n , h i s s e n s e of wha t w a s j u s t and n e c e s s a r y m a d e h i m e q u a l l y

s t e a d f a s t in h i s d e t e r m i n a t i o n to p r e s e n t the appea l f o r r e v o l u t i o n and

a r e a l i s t i c a p p r a i s a l of w a r and the o p p r e s s i o n of d e s p o t i s m . " P l o t ,

i nc iden t , d e s c r i p t i o n , c h a r a c t e r - p o r t r a y a l , and the p o e t ' s own a t t i t u d e

to h i s n a r r a t i o n , w e r e a l l to be g o v e r n e d by the f i d e l i t y to t r u t h - - b y

19

h i s knowledge of t h i n g s a s t hey r e a l l y a r e . "

In Can to II. B y r o n bad p r e s e n t e d a r e a l i s t i c d e s c r i p t i o n of a s h i p -

w r e c k , t ak ing h i s f a c t u a l m a t e r i a l f r o m Si r G. D a l z e l l ' s S h i p w r e c k s

a n d D i s a s t e r s a t Sea and s u c c e s s f u l l y m a k i n g it h i s own: the d e t a i l s he 20

u s e d w e r e " d e s i g n e d to e x p r e s s a n d e m p h a s i s e h i s own v i s i o n of r e a l i t y . "

In m u c h the s a m e way , he t u r n e d to the E s s a i s u r l ' H i s t o i r e Ancienr ie et

M o d e r n e de la Nouve l le R u s s i e by De C a s t e l n a u a s a m i l i t a r y s o u r c e -

book in g e n e r a l and f o r the a c c o u n t of the S iege of I s m a i l s p e c i f i c a l l y .

B y r o n ' s p u r p o s e , of c o u r s e , is to p r e s e n t an a c c u r a t e n a r r a t i v e , and

h i s s u c c e s s in c o n v e r t i n g t h e s e f a c t s in to a n e n g r o s s i n g t a l e of h o r r o r 21

i s w e l l a c k n o w l e d g e d ; h i s c o l o r f u l l y r e a l i s t i c d e s c r i p t i o n s , a c c o r d i n g

19 R u t h e r f o r d , B y r o n ; A C r i t i c a l Study, p. 169.

20 Ibid.

21 _ • -P a u l G. T r u e b l o o d . The F l o w e r i n g of B y r o n ' s Gen ius (S tan fo rd ,

1945), p. 153. "" " ~~ " " "

45

22

to R u t h e r f o r d , r i v a l e v e n t hose of To l s toy , Any n u m b e r of e x a m p l e s

canno t fu l l y i l l u s t r a t e the to t a l e f f e c t of t h e s e c a n t o s on w a r , but one

s t a n z a m i g h t be c i t e d a s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of the n a k e d r e a l i s m he i s a b l e

to a c h i e v e :

Thus on t hey wa l lowed in the b loody m i r e Of dead and dying t h o u s a n d s , - - s o m e t i m e s ga in ing

A y a r d o r two of g round , wh ich b r o u g h t t h e m n i g h e r To s o m e odd ang le f o r which a l l w e r e s t r a i n i n g ;

At o t h e r t i m e s , r e p u l s e d by the c l o s e f i r e , Which r e a l l y p o u r e d a s if a l l Hel l w e r e r a i n i n g ,

I n s t e a d of Heaven , they s t u m b l e d b a c k w a r d s o j e r A v /ounded c o m r a d e , s p r a w l i n g in h i s g o r e .

(vii i , 20) 3

B y r o n f s c o n d e m n a t i o n of a g g r e s s i v e w a r s in C a n t o s VII and VIII

a r i s e s f r o m h i s c o n c l u s i o n t h a t t h e y a r e s p a w n e d by c o r r u p t e d m a n and

h i s s o c i e t y which condones or t o l e r a t e s d e s p o t i s m and the f a l l a c y of

m i l i t a r y g l o r y :

" L e t t h e r e be l i g h t ! s a i d God, and t h e r e w a s l i g h t ! "

" L e t t h e r e be b lood! n s a y s m a n , and t h e r e T s a s e a ! The f i a t of t h i s s p o i l e d ch i ld of the Night

( F o r Day n e ' e r s aw h i s m e r i t s ) could d e c r e e M o r e ev i l in a,n h o u r , t han t h i r t y b r i g h t

S u m m e r s could r e n o v a t e , though t h e y shou ld be L o v e l y a s t h o s e which r i p e n e d £ d e n ! s f r u i t , F o r w a r cu t s up not only b r a n c h , but r o o t . 7

(vii, 41)

22 R u t h e r f o r d , B y r o n : A Crit ica.1 Study, pp. 176-177 .

23 G e o r g e Gordon , L o r d B y r o n , A V a r i o r u m E d i t i o n : Can to s VI-

XVII, Vol. I l l of B y r o n f s i !Don Juan , ,f ed i t ed by T r u m a n G. S t e f f an and Wil l i s W« P r a t t , 4 vo l s . (Aus t in . 1957), p. 121. H e r e a f t e r c i t e d a s Don Juan , III.

24 Ibid. , p. 8b*

46

B y r o n ' s r e f e r e n c e to E d e n i s n o t e w o r t h y , f o r he o f t e n o p p o s e s

C i v i l i z a t i o n a n d N a t u r e . He s p e a k s of t he joys ' a n d s o l i t u d e of n a t u r e

t o i l l u s t r a t e , w i t h s h o c k i n g c o n t r a s t , t h e u n d e n i a b l e l i n k w a r h a s w i t h

i t s p a r e n t , s o c i e t y :

So m u c h f o r N a t u r e : - - by w a y of v a r i e t y ,

Now b a c k to t h y g r e a t j o y s , C i v i l i z a t i o n ! And t h e s w e e t c o n s e q u e n c e of l a r g e s o c i e t y ,

W a r , P e s t i l e n c e , t h e d e s p o t ' s d e s o l a t i o n , T h e k i n g l y s c o u r g e , t h e ."Lust f o r N o t o r i e t y ,

T h e m i l l i o n s s l a i n b y s o l d i e r s f o r t h e i r r a t i o n . . . , (v i i i , 68)

H i s r e a l i s t i c d e s c r i p t i o n s h a v e r e c e i v e d t h e i r j u s t p r a i s e , b u t p i a i s e

w a s no t B y r o n ' s a i m . T h e r e a l i t y p e r v a d i n g t h e s e c a n t o s i s a t o o l w h i c h

h e u s e s in a n a t t e m p t to o p e n m i n d s a n d to e n c o u r a g e p a r t i c i p a t i o n in

h i s p e r s o n a l c o n d e r r i n a t i o n of w a r a n d i t s d e s t r u c t i o n :

H i s t o r y c a n on ly t a k e t h i n g s in t h e g r o s s ; B u t c o u l d w e k n o w t h e m in d e t a i l , p e r c h a n c e

In b a l a n c i n g t h e p r o f i t a n d t h e l o s s , W a r ' s m e r i t i t b y no m e a n s m i g h t e n h a n c e ,

To w a s t e so m u c h go ld f o r a l i t t l e d r o s s , A s h a t h b e e n d o n e , m e r e c o n q u e s t t o a d v a n c e .

C o c k n e y s of L o n d o n ! M u s c a d i n s of P a r i s ! J u s t p o n d e r w h a t a p i o u s p a s t i m e w a r i s . . . .

(v i i i , 3, 1 2 4 ) 2 6

Don Juan, i s , by n a t u r e , a c o n s t r u c t i v e p o e m w i t h a m o r a l p u r p o s e .

B y r o n ' s h o r r o r of a g g r e s s i v e w a r i s a p a r t of h i s d e n i a l of e v e r y

d e s t r u c t i v e f o r c e , i n c l u d i n g the a c c e p t a n c e of a n y of t h e c o u n t l e s s

a p p e a r a n c e s f o r c e d on s o c i e t y by r e l i g i o n , t h e c u s t o m s of l o v e a n d

25 26 Ib id . , p . 146. I b i d . , pp . 113, 174.

47

m a r r i a g e , t he s o v e r e i g n s and t h e i r s u p p o r t e r s , and by t h o s e who -

canno t c o m p r e h e n d o r wi l l no t a d m i t the d i s a s t e r of w a r . To i n s u r e

a s u p p o r t e r of t h e s e w a r s tha t h i s e n e r g i e s a r e m i s g u i d e d , B y r o n

r e a c h e s f o r the u l t i m a t e d e s c r i p t i o n of a l i t h a t is ev i l and v i l e in w a r

to shake h i m into c o m p r e h e n s i o n and a d m i s s i o n :

Al l t ha t t he m i n d would s h r i n k f r o m of e x c e s s e s ; Al l t h a t t h e body p e r p e t r a t e s of bad;

Al l t h a t we r e a d , h e a r , d r e a m , of m a n ' s d i s t r e s s e s ; Al l t ha t t he Devi l would do if r u n s t a r k m a d ;

All t h a t d e f i e s the w o r s t wh ich pen e x p r e s s e s ; Al l by wh ich He l l is p e o p l e d , o r a s sad

As Hel] - - m e r e m o r t a l s who t h e i r p o w e r abus e, Was h e r e (as h e r e t o f o r e and s i n c e ) l e t l o o s e .

(vi i i , 1 2 3 ) ^

Canto VII d e v o t e s m u c h a t t e n t i o n to the h y p o c r i s y s u r r o u n d i n g

m i l i t a r y g l o r y , both p e r s o n a l and n a t i o n a l , a s a p r e l u d e and a s a

c o u n t e r p o i n t to h i s d r a m a of the Siege of I s m a i l and i t s ch i l l i ng r e s u l t s .

E y r o n had no ted p r e v i o u s l y t h a t t h e a c c l a i m a h e r o r e c e i v e d w a s a s

m u t a b l e a s f a s h i o n , s i n c e " e v e r y y e a r and m o n t h s e n d s f o r t h a n e w

28

one . . . " (i, 1). A f a r m o r e i m p o r t a n t r e a s o n f o r B y r o n ' s d i s t a s t e

of the idea of m i l i t a r y g l o r y and i t s s o c i a l r e s p e c t a b i l i t y w a s t ha t , w h e n

a c h i e v e d in a g g r e s s i v e c o n f l i c t s , he cou ld f i n d no b a s i c d i f f e r e n c e

b e t w e e n h e r o i s m and wha t s o c i e t y m o s t a b h o r r e d , b e t w e e n " g l o r y " 27

Ibid. , p. 173.

2 8 _ ...

G e o r g e Gordon , L o r d B y r o n , _A V a r i o r u m -Editicm-* C a n t o s 1-V, Vol. II of B y r o n ' s ' 'Don J u a n , " e d i t e d by T r u m a n G. " SteFf anTrTd~V/ill is W.. P r a t t , 4 v o l s . (Aust in , 1957), p, 21. H e r e a f t e r c i t e d a s Don J u a n , II,

vi

48

29 and " m u r d e r " (vii , 26), J*ubt a s B y r o n c o n d e m n s h i s s o c i e t y f o r

i t s a c c e p t a n c e of an u n r e a l , r o m a n t i c i z e d love a s it i s p r e s e n t e d in

30 n o v e l s , so he c h a s t i z e s t h e m a s h e a r t i l y f o r a c c e p t i n g an e q u a l l y

u n r e a l i s t i c and r o m a n t i c i z e d v iew of " g l o r y " :

M e d a l s , r a n k , r i b b o n s , l a c e , e m b r o i d e r y , s c a r l e t , A r e t h i n g s i m m o r t a l to i m m o r t a l m a n ,

As p u r p l e to the B a b y l o n i a n h a r l o t : An u n i f o r m to boys is l i ke a f a n

To w o m e n ; t h e r e i s s c a r c e a c r i m s o n v a r l e t But d e e m s h i m s e l f t he f i r s t in G l o r y ' s van .

But Glory f s g l o r y ; and if you would f ind What t ha t is - - a s k the pig who s e e s the wind L

(vii , 84)^

Man s e e k s m i l i t a r y g l o r y and the f a m e w h i c h a c c o m p a n i e s it f o r the

obv ious r e a s o n s of p r e s t i g e , but youth a r e o f t e n e n c o u r a g e d to fo l low

the wind " to have the s a c k i n g of a town; / A p l e a s a n t th ing to young m e n

32

a t t h e i r y e a r s " (vii, 18). B y r o n d e m a n d s a r e a l i s t i c a t t i t u d e t o w a r d

t h e a t t a i n m e n t of g l o r y f r o m h i s r e a d e r s , p r e s e n t i n g m o s t o f t en , f o r

t h e i r c o n s i d e r a t i o n , the r e a l i t y of the m u t a b i l i t y of f a m e and the s l a u g h t e r

w h i c h a c c o m p a n i e s s o c i e t y 1 s c o n c e p t of g l o r y . S o m e t i m e s B y r o n u s e s

h o m i l y to a w a k e n r e a l i t y in the s l e e p i n g c o n s c i e n c e of s o c i e t y :

And a l m o s t e v e r y day, in sad r e a l i t y , Some suck ing h e r o is c o m p e l l e d to r e a r ,

29 30 Don J u a n , III, 79. Don J u a n , II, 354.

31 ^2 Don J u a n , III, 108, Ibid. , p. 75.

49

Who, w h e n w e c o m e to S U P I u p t h e t o t a l i t y Of d e e d s to h u m a n h a p p i n e s s m o s t d e a r ,

T u r n s ou t to b e a b u t c h e r in g r e a t b u s i n e s s . . . . / •• q<*\33 ( v n , 83)

At o t h e r t i m e s he u s e s l o g i c to e x t r a c t r e a l i t y f r o m a p p e a r a n e e , a no t

a l w a y s p a i n l e s s o p e r a t i o n :

I w o n d e r ( a l t h o u g h M a r s no doub t 1 s a God I P r a i s e ) if a m a n ' s n a m e in a b u l l e t i n

M a y m a k e u p f o r a b u l l e t in b i s b o d y ? I h o p e t h i s l i t t l e q u e s t i o n i s no s i n . . .

(v i i , 2 1 ) " ^

B u t w h a t e v e r h i s m e t h o d , B y r o n ' s c o n v i c t i o n t h a t t h e a m b i t i o n f o r g l o r y

i s one s t i m u l u s a m o n g m a n y w h i c h a r e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e h o r r i b l e

r e a l i t y of w a r i s s t a t e d w i t h a f o r c e t h a t i s d i f f i c u l t to i g n o r e .

A l t h o u g h B y r o n r e a l i z e s t h a t s o c i e t y ! s a d m i r a t i o n of m i l i t a r y

h e r o i s m i s s u r e l y r e s p o n s i b l e f o r a p a r t of t h e r e s p e c t a b i l i t y w h i c h

a g g r e s s i v e w a r s e n j o y , h e a s s e r t s t h a t i t i s t h e r e s p e c t a b i l i t y of d e s p o t s

a n d t h e t o l e r a t i o n of d e s p o t i s m w h i c h m u s t r e c e i v e m o s t of t h e b l a m e

f o r w a r , f o r it i s t h e d e s p o t ' s a m b i t i o n w h i c h i n s t i g a t e s t h i s d e s t r u c t i o n

35

w i t h o u t r e g a r d f o r h u m a n c l a y . A f t e r t h e s u c c e s s f u l d e s t r u c t i o n of

I s m a i l , B y r o n a n d h i s r e a d e r s a c c o m p a n y Don J u a n on h i s t r i p to

R u s s i a . a n d w a t c h a s h e g i v e s t h e h a p p y n e w s to a j u b i l a n t C a t h e r i n e :

33 Ib id . , p . 108,

34 Ib id . , p . 77.

35 Don J u a n , II, 491 .

50

G r e a t j oy w a s h e r ' s , o r r a t h e r j o y s ; the f i r s t W a s a l a ' e n c i t y - - t h i r t y t h o u s a n d s l a i n .

G l o r y and t r i u m p h o ' e r h e r a s p e c t b u r s t , A s a n E a s t I n d i a n S u n r i s e on the m a i n .

T h e s e q u e n c h e d a m o m e n t h e r A m b i t i o n ' s t h i r s t - -So A r a b D e s e r t s d r i n k in S u m m e r ' s r a i n :

In v a i n ! - - A s - f a l l t h e d e w s on q u e n c h l e s s s a n d s , B lood on ly s e r v e s to w a s h A m b i t i o n ' s h a n d s !

C , Q , 3 6 ( I X , 5 9 }

Yet , C a t h e r i n e ' s i n f l u e n c e m u s t h a v e i t s a m b a s s a d o r s , and B y r o n d o e s

n o t f a i l to r e a l i z e t h e i r s i g n i f i c a n c e in t h e t o t a l p i c t u r e of d e s o l a t i o n he

h a d d e t e r m i n e d to p a i n t " w h e n t h i n g s c a l l e d s o v e r e i g n s t h i n k i t b e s t /

37

To k i l l , a n d G e n e r a l s t u r n i t in to j e s t ' 1 (ix, 60) . A s C a t h e r i n e ' s

g e n e r a l , S u w a r r o w m u s t a c c e p t h i s p a r t of t h e b l a m e f o r I s m a i l , arid

c o n s e q u e n t l y , a p a r t of B y r o n ' s c o n t e m p t ( a l though he r e c o g n i z e s S u w a r r o w ' s e f f i c i ency ) :

S u w a r r o w . . . bu t s a w t h i n g s in t h e g r o s s , B e i n g m u c h too g r o s s to s e e t h e m in d e t a i l ,

Who c a l c u l a t e d l i f e a s so m u c h d r o s s , And a s t h e w ind a w i d o w e d n a t i o n ' s wa i l ,

And c a r e d a s l i t t l e f o r h i s a r m y ' s l o s s (So t h a t t h e i r e f f o r t s s h o u l d a t l e n g t h p r e v a i l )

As w i f e a n d f r i e n d s d id f o r t h e b o i l s of J o b . . . .

( v i i , 7 7 ) 3 8

N e v e r a l l o w i n g a c h a n c e e s c a p e h i m to a p p l y t h e m o r a l of h i s p o e m to

E n g l a n d , B y r o n w a s q u i c k to v e n t h i s d i s g u s t on C a s t l e r e a g h , a s a

r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of t h e s e death™-dealing m i d d l e - m e n , c a l l i n g h i m n T h e

36 on Don J u a n , III, 21

^ R I b i d . , p . 105.

51

39 v u l g a r e s t t o o l t h a t T y r a n n y c o u l d w a n t . . . " ( " D e d i c a t i o n , " 12), Of

W e l l i n g t o n ' s v i c t o r y o v e r N a p o l e o n , h e s a y s :

N e v e r h a d m o r t a l M a n s u c h o p p o r t u n i t y , E x c e p t N a p o l e o n , o r a b u s e d i t m o r e :

You m i g h t h a v e f r e e d f a l l ' n E u r o p e f r o m t h e U n i t y Of T y r a n t s , a n d b e e n b l e s t f r o m s h o r e to s h o r e :

A n d n o w - - w h a t i s y o u r f a m e ? S h a l l t h e M u s e t u n e i t y e ? N o w - - t h a t t h e r a b b l e ' s f i r s t v a i n s h o u t s a r e o ' e r ?

Go! h e a r i t in y o u r f a m i s h e d C o u n t r y ' s c r i e s ! B e h o l d t h e W o r l d ! and c u r s e y o u r v i c t o r i e s !

(ix, 9)

And f i n a l l y , t h e s o l d i e r s t h e m s e l v e s c o m e u n d e r h i s a t t a c k , a s r e p r e -

s e n t a t i v e s of t h e d e s p o t s a n d t h e i r a m b i t i o n . A f t e r t h e R u s s i a n a r m y

h a d e n t e r e d I s m a i l , c r i m e s of e v e r y n a t u r e w e r e e n g e n d e r e d ; " 1 a n d

a l t h o u g h B y r o n c o n d e m n s a n y p e r s o n a l a m b i t i o n f o r g l o r y w h i c h m i g h t

m o m e n t a r i l y d e s t r o y a m a n ' s s y m p a t h y f o r o t h e r s , h e u n d e r s t a n d s t h a t

e v e n t h e i r m i l i t a r i s t i c e m o t i o n s , a s t h e i r l e a d e r s ' , a r e o n l y a p a r t of

t h e t o t a l d e s o l a t i o n b o r n of , a n d p l a n n e d b y , d e s p o t i s m :

T w o v i l l a n o u s C o s s a c q u e s p u r s u e d t h e c h i l d

^ i t h f l a s h i n g e y e s a n d w e a p o n s : m a t c h e d w i t h t h e m , T h e r u d e s t b r u t e t h a t r o a m s S i b e r i a ' s w i l d

H a s f e e l i n g s p u r e a n d p o l i s h e d a s a g e m , - -T h e b e a r i s c i v i l i z e d , t h e wol f i s m i l d :

A n d w h o m f o r t h i s a t l a s t m u s t w e c o n d e m n ? I h e i r n a t u r e s ? o r t h e i r s o v e r e i g n s , w h o e m p l o y A l l a r t s t o t e a c h t h e i r s u b j e c t s to d e s t r o y ?

(v i i i , 9 2 ) 4 2

3 9

JH^n. n , 16. 4 ° P o n J u a n , III , 187.

. P- 1 5 2 - 4 ^ I b i d . , p. 157 .

52

With m o r a l i nd igna t ion and hope f o r the f u t u r e , B y r o n s w e a r s h i s

u t t e r c o n t e m p t f o r t h o s e who a b u s e t h e i r p o w e r s of k i n g s h i p and any

who a id t h e m in s p r e a d i n g t h e i r d i s e a s e :

And I wi l l w a r , a t l e a s t in w o r d s (and -- should My c h a n c e so h a p p e n - - d e e d s ) wi th a l l who w a r

With Thought ; - - a n d of Thought*s f o e s by f a r m o s t r u d e , T y r a n t s and Sycophan t s h a v e b e e n and a r e .

I know not who m a y c o n q u e r : if I cou ld Ha ve s u c h a p r e s c i e n c e , it shou ld be no b a r

To th is m y p l a in , s w o r n , d o w n r i g h t d e t e s t a t i o n Of e v e r y d e s p o t i s m hi e v e r y na t ion ,

(ix, 24)

The p u r p o s e of t he r e a l i s m in C a n t o s VII, VIII, and IX of Don

J u a n is not only to p r o m o t e a s y m p a t h e t i c d i s t a s t e f o r a g g r e s s i v e w a r s

but to a r o u s e an a p a t h e t i c pub l i c f r o m i t s l e t h a r g y into open r e b e l l i o n

a g a i n s t t he d e s p o t i s m he h a s e x p o s e d . His r e v o l u t i o n a r y c r e e d could

not be m o r e exp l i c i t t h a n w h e n he s h o u t s a t t he g i a n t s t h a t he n w i l l t e a c h , 44

if p o s s i b l e , the s t o n e s / T o r i s e a g a i n s t E a r t h 1 s t y r a n t s . . . M (vi i i , 135)'.

He m a k e s no a t t e m p t to v e i l h i s r e v o l u t i o n a r y i n d o c t r i n a t i o n , and f o r

B y r o n , any f e a r of r e p r i s a l m u s t t a k e a p o s i t i o n of s e c o n d a r y i m p o r t a n c e ,

B y r o n p r o b a b l y sounds l e a s t l i ke a n E n g l i s h p e e r w h e n he f o r e s e e s a t i m e

when r e v o l u t i o n h a s r i d the e a r t h of the l a s t v e s t i g e s of d e s p o t i c m o n a r c h y :

43 Ibid. , p. 194,

44 Ibid. , p. 179.

53

. » . N e v e r l e t i t B e s a i d t h a t w e s t i l l t r u c k l e u n t o t h r o n e s ; - -

But y e - - o u r c h i l d r e n 1 s c h i l d r e n ! t h i n k how w e S h o w e d w h a t t h i n g s w e r e b e f o r e t h e w o r l d w a s f r e e !

(v i i i , 1 3 5 ) 4 5

B y r o n ' s p r a i s e of i n d i v i d u a l a n d n a t i o n a l d e f e n s e a g a i n s t t h e o p p r e s s i o n

of d e s p o t i s m i s r e v e a l e d in h i s r e v e r e n c e f o r s u c h m e n a s W i l b e r f o r c e ,

46 n T h o u m o r a l W a s h i n g t o n of A f r i c a " (x iv , 82) , w h o w a s s u c c e s s f u l in

47

p r o m o t i n g t h e a b o l i t i o n of s l a v e t r a d e in the B r i t i s h E m p i r e in 1807 .

H i s w a r m p r a i s e of w a r s of d e f e n s e i l l u s t r a t e s h i s s y m p a t h y f o r o p p r e s s e d

p e o p l e a n d t h e i r c a u s e ; h e c a l l s W a s h i n g t o n 1 s b a t t l e f i e l d " h o l y g r o u n d , / 48

W h i c h b r e a t h e s of n a t i o n s s a v e d , n o t w o r l d s u n d o n e " (v i i i , 5). B y r o n 1 s

a p p e a l f o r r e v o l u t i o n e v o k e s i m a g e s of t y r a n t s a s s p i d e r s , a n d a s o n e

c a n e a s i l y r e m o v e t h e t h r e a t of t h e s e c r e a t u r e s , B y r o n p l e a d s :

R a i s e bu t a n a r m ! ' t w i l l b r u s h t h e i r w e b a w a y , A n d w i t h o u t t h a t , t h e i r p o i s o n a n d t h e i r c l a w s

A r e u s e l e s s . M i n d , good P e o p l e ! w h a t I s a y - -(Or r a t h e r P e o p l e s ) - - g o o n w i t h o u t p a u s e !

T h e w e b of t h o s e T a r a n t u l a s e a c h d a y I n c r e a s e s , t i l l y o u s h a l l m a k e c o m m o n c a u s e :

None , s a v e t h e S p a n i s h F l y a n d A t t i c B e e , A s y e t a r e s t r o n g l y s t i n g i n g to b e f r e e .

(ix, 2S ) 4 9

B e i n g a m e m b e r of a p o l i t i c a l l y l i b e r a l g r o u p of t h i n k e r s a n d

50 " b o r n f o r o p p o s i t i o n " (xv, 22) , B y r o n u s e d Don J u a n f o r h i s o t h e r

45 . AL I b i d . Ib id . , p . 445 .

47 G e o r g e M. T r e v e l y a n , H i s t o r y of E n g l a n d (New Y o r k , 1932)

p . 599 . - - — . -

48 49 c 0 Don J u a n , III. 114. Ib id . , p . 196. I b i d . , p . 4 6 6 .

54

m e a n s of c h a m p i o n i n g l i b e r t y and f i g h t i n g d e s p o t i s m o n c e t h e I t a l i a n

l i b e r a t i o n m o v e m e n t c o l l a p s e d . H i s a c t i o n s m a d e h i s l i t e r a r y a t t a c k

on a g g r e s s i v e w a r s a n d d e s p o t i s m , a n d h i s l i t e r a r y p r a i s e of d e f e n s i v e

w a r s a n d r e v o l u t i o n , s o m e h o w m o r e i m p r e s s i v e . In a c t i o n a s i n d e e d ,

h i s p h i l o s o p h y on w a r a n d d e s p o t i s m , a s s t a t e d p r i m a r i l y in C a n t o s

VII , VIII, a n d IX, d id n o t w a v e r . B y r o n w o u l d a g a i n l e a v e h i s w o r k on

Don J u a n a f t e r b e g i n n i n g C a n t o XVII a n d e n t e r a n o t h e r n a t i o n a l f i g h t f o r

f r e e d o m f r o m o p p r e s s i o n ; s a i l i n g f o r G r e e c e , h e b e c a m e a c t i v e in t h e

G r e e k w a r of i n d e p e n d e n c e f r o m . T u r k e y . A l t h o u g h h i s t a n g i b l e a i d to

e i t h e r I t a l y o r G r e e c e , if j u d g e d s o l e l y by o b j e c t i v e s t a n d a r d s , w a s n o t

of s i g n i f i c a n t v a l u e , h e i s s t i l l r e m e m b e r e d in G r e e c e n o t a s a p o e t b u t

5 1

as t h e m a n who c a m e to do s o r n e t n m g .

51 ' L e s l i e A. M a r c h a n d , B y r o n : A B i o g r a p h y (New Y o r k , 1957) ,

III, 1236.

C H A P T E R IV '

A R E A L I S T I C A P P R A I S A L O F ENGLISH

F R E E D O M AND M O R A L I T Y

Al though L o r d B y r o n was con t i nua l l y a w a r e of h i s E n g l i s h h e r i t a g e

and s t a t i o n and e x p e c t e d to r e c e i v e p r e f e r e n t i a l t r e a t m e n t in I t a ly

1

c o m m e n s u r a t e wi th bo th h i s n a t i o n a l i t y and t i t l e , he u n d e r s t o o d and

d e t e s t e d the h y p o c r i s y and c a n t p e r v a d i n g the i n s t i t u t i o n s and c u s t o m s

of the na t ion . The s c a n d a l o u s r u m o r s wh ich p r e c e d e d h i s s e p a r a t i o n

had b e e n p r o m o t e d by the h y p o c r i t i c a l m o r a l i t y of t h i s s o c i e t y , and it

w a s the s o c i a l o p p r e s s ion by m e m b e r s of h i s own and o t h e r c l a s s e s 2

t h a t l ed h i m to s e e k e x i l e . E v e n though it is u n l i k e l y t h a t h i s m a r r i a g e 3

would h a v e long r e m a i n e d i n t ac t , he n e v e r qu i t e f o r g a v e E n g l a n d f o r

i t s p a r t in t he p a i n f u l m e m o r i e s he a s s o c i a t e d wi th h i s s e p a r a t i o n f r o m

L a d y B y r o n . It cou ld not be a r g u e d , h o w e v e r , t h a t B y r o n r s s a t i r e of

L e s l i e A. M a r chand , B y r o n : A B i o g r a p h y (New Y o r k , ] 957), III, 982, 997, 1012. ~~ ~

2 L e s l i e A. M a r c h a n d , B y r o n : A B i o g r a p h y (New Y o r k , 1957), Jl,

598 -602 . H e r e a f t e r c i t e d a s M a r c h a n d , B y r o n , II. See T h o m a s B* M a c a u l a y , " M o o r e ' s L i f e of L o r d B y r o n , n The E d i n b u r g h R e v i e w , LIU (June , 1831), 547, 549. ~ ~ " " ~ ~ ~ ~ "" " ~ ~

3 Ibid. , pp . 555 -559 .

56

England*s h y p o c r i s i e s t h r o u g h o u t Port Juan i s l i t t l e m o r e t h a n d e f e n s i v e

r e v e n g e a g a i n s t t h e s o c i e t y w h i c h had . s c o r n e d h i m ; s o m e s t a n z a s a r e

i n d e e d w r i t t e n in d e f e n s e of t h e m o r a l i t y of t h e p o e m - - a n d c o n s e q u e n t l y ,

of t h e p o e t - - b u t B y r o n h a s a m o r e i m p o r t a n t m o t i v e f o r d i r e c t i n g h i s

s a t i r e a t h i s c o u n t r y . He i s a b l e to v i e w t h e i n s u l t s of h i s s o c i e t y f r o m

the m a t u r i t y of e x p e r i e n c e ; a n d , w i t h o u t r e a l b i t t e r n e s s , h e i s d e t e r m i n e d

t o u s e t h a t e x p e r i e n c e a n d k n o w l e d g e to h o l d a m i r r o r up to E n g l a n d and

s h o w E n g l i s h m e n the r e a l i t y t h e i r h y p o c r i s i e s h a v e b e e n h i d i n g t o o -oug„

In t h e l a s t s e c t i o n of Don Juan, Cantos X through XVI., B y r o n

d i s c a r d s h i s p r e v i o u s m e t h o d of d e n o u n c i n g E n g l a n d 1 s M w r e t c h e d

4 afc<?ctations a n d s y s t e m a t i z e d S o p h i s t r y " i n d i r e c t l y , a s in h i s s a t i r e

5

o i Don J u a n ' s e d u c a t i o n m C a n t o s I a n d II, o r by o c c a s i o n a l d i r e c t

r e f e r e n c e . Don J u a n ' s i n t r o d u c t i o n in to E n g l i s h s o c i e t y a s C a t h e r i n e ^

a m b a s s a d o r a t l a s t o f f e r s B y r o n t h e o p p o r t u n i t y to t u r n h i s c a n n o n

d i r e c t l y a g a i n s t t h e f o e . T o w a r d t h e e n d of C a n t o X, B y r o n a n n o u n c e s

h i s p u r p o s e to h i s E n g l i s h r e a d e r s ;

He [Don J u a n ] p a u s e d - - a n d so w i l l I; a s do th a c r e w B e f o r e t h e y g i v e t h e i r b r o a d s i d e . By a n d b y e ,

4 G e o r g e G o r d o n , L o r d B y r o n , L e t t e r s arid J o u r n a l s , V o l . IV of

Works B y r o n , e d i t e d by R o w l a n d E. P r o t h e r o , 13 v o l s , (New Y o r k , 1966) , p . 230 . H e r e a f t e r c i t e d a s L e t t e r s arid J o u r n a l s , IV.

5 G e o r g e G o r d o n , L o r d B y r o n , A V a r i o r u m E d i t i o n : C a n t o s I - V ,

Vol . II of B y r o n f s "Eton Juan, M e d i t e d b y T r u m a n G. S t e f f a ~ a ^ ~ W i l l i s W. F r a t t , 4 v o l s , ( A u s t i n , 1 9 o 7) > p p . 4 2 - 4 8 , 162. H e r e a f t e r c i t e d a s Don J u a n , II,

My gen t l e c o u n t r y m e n , we wi l l r e n e w Our old a c q u a i n t a n c e : and a t l a s t I111 t r y

To t e l l you t r u t h s you wi l l not t a k e a s t r u e , B e c a u s e t h e y a r e so ; - - a m a l e M r s . F r y ,

With a so f t b e s o m wi l l I s w e e p y o u r h a l l s , And b r u s h a w e b o r two f r o m off the w a l l s . ,

fx, 84)

The p o r t r a y a l of r e a l i t y a s he u n d e r s t a n d s i t , a s in the e a r l i e r c a n t o s ,

e n a b l e s B y r o n to e x p o s e qu i t e n a t u r a l l y the t r u t h s u p p r e s s e d b e n e a t h

the a p p e a r a n c e s upho ld ing E n g l i s h i n s t i t u t i o n s and s o c i a l c u s t o m s .

H o w e v e r , in the l a s t c a n t o s , h i s a t t a c k a g a i n s t E n g l i s h h y p o c r i s y and

o p p r e s s i o n o f t e n t a k e s a d i f f e r e n t a p p r o a c h in a f r a n k and u n v e i l e d

a s s e r t i o n of ex i s t i ng e v i l s , a m e t h o d not so c o m m o n l y u s e d in the f i r s t

s i x c a n t o s of Don J u a n . B y r o n now d e p e n d s l e s s upon p lo t w h e n it

o b s t r u c t s h i s m o r e i m p o r t a n t p u r p o s e of showing h i s s o c i e t y an u n d i s -

t o r t e d r e f l e c t i o n of i t s e l f . He d o e s not , h o w e v e r , l o s e s igh t of the

i m p o r t a n c e of n a r r a t i o n to h i s s a t i r i c i n t e n t i o n s , and t h i s s e c t i o n

c o n t a i n s s o m e of h i s m o s t a m u s i n g and cu t t i ng r i d i c u l e , " t he only

w e a p o n , M he to ld the C o u n t e s s of B l e s s i n g ton, " t ha t t he E n g l i s h c l i m a t e

7 canno t r u s t , n It is to be e x p e c t e d , t h e r e f o r e , tha t , a s in h i s c a n t o s

G e o r g e Gordon , L o r d B y r o n , A V a r i o r u m Edition-; C a n t o s VI-XVII, Vol. I l l of Byron 1 s * * Don J u a n , M ed i t ed by T r u m a n G. S t e f f a n and Wi l l i s V/". P r a t t , 4 v o l s . (Aus t in , 1957), p . 266, H e r e a f t e r c i t ed a s Don J u a n , III.

7 Coun te s s of B l e s s ing ion , A J our na l of C o n v e r s a t i o n s wi th L o r d

B y r o n (Bos ton , 1859), p. 46.

58

on w a r arid d e s p o t i s m , B y r o n ' s a s s e r t i o n of r e a l i t y w i l l t a k e a s i g n i f -

i c a n t p l a c e a l o n g s i d e n a r r a t i v e s a t i r e a s h e m a k e s a c r i t i c a l e v a l u a t i o n

of t h e e x t e n t of E n g l i s h h y p o c r i s y .

B y r o n ' s tone , - a l t h o u g h s e r i o u s , i s n o t q u i t e s o i n d i g n a n t l y m o r a l

a s in t h e e a r l i e r c a n t o s on. w a r . H i s d e n u n c i a t i o n of t h e h y p o c r i s y of

E n g l i s h f r e e d o m a n d m o r a l i t y i s v i g o r o u s ; b u t w h e n B y r o n t a k e s h i s

h e r o in s i d e L o n d o n ' s f a s h i o n a b l y a r i s t o c r a t i c l i f e , h i s pos i t i on , i s o f t e n

u n c e r t a i n , a n d h i s n a r r a t i o n e x h i b i t s b o t h a p p r o v a l a n d d i s a p p r o v a l ;

T h e s a t i r e i s t h u s c a r i o u s l y u n s t a b l e , b a s e d a s i t i s n o t on a n y f i r m b e l i e f o r p r i n c i p l e , bu t on B y r o n ' s f l u c t u a t i n g f e e l i n g s , p a r t l y c r i t i c a l a n d h o s t i l e , p a r t l y t o l e r a n t a n d s y m p a t h e t i c , t o w a r d s E n g l i s h a r i s t o c r a t i c l i f e : a s a r e f o r m e d r a k e , bu t no t a l t o g e t h e r a r e p e n t a n t o n e , h e o b v i o u s l y f o u n d i l d i f f i c u l t to d e c i d e on a n y d e f i n i t e s a t i r i c a t t i t u d e .

If t h e r e i s a n u n c e r t a i n t y in h i s s a t i r i c a t t i t u d e , i t m i g h t b e a r g u e d

t h a t t h e r e i s c o n c u r r e n t l y a n a m b i v a l e n t p r e s e n t a t i o n of r e a l i t y . A l t h o u g h

h i s i n t i m a t e e x p e r i e n c e w i t h t h e G r e a t W o r l d , " t h a t m i c r o c o s m on

; 9

s t i l t s . . . H (xi i , 56) d o e s e n h a n c e h i s a p p r a i s a l of t h e i r a t t i t u d e s

a n d a c t i v i t i e s , t h i s e x p e r i e n c e d o e s no t n e c e s s a r i l y m a k e h i s p o r t r a i t a n

o b j e c t i v e o n e . C o n s e q u e n t l y , i t m u s t b e e x p e c t e d t h a t h i s r e a l i s t i c

e x a m i n a t i o n of E n g l i s h h y p o c r i s i e s w i l l b e c o l o r e d w i t h s u b j e c t i v i t y in

o t h e r c a s e s , a s in h i s a p p r a i s a l of E n g l i s h f r e e d o m a n d m o r a l i t y , w h i c h 8

A n d r e w R u t h e r f o r d , B y r o n ; A C r i t i c a l S t u d y ( S t a n f o r d , 1961) , p. 2 0 1 ,

9 Don J u a n , 111, 342,

m u s t i l l u s t r a t e h i s own p r e j u d i c e s . E v e n h i s a b i l i t y to o r g a n i z e t h i s

r e a l i t y s e e m s to v a r y i n d i r e c t l y wi th h i s e x p e r i e n c e , f o r C a n t o s VII

and VIII, the m a t e r i a l f o r wh ich c a m e a l m o s t e n t i r e l y f r o m h i s r e a d i n g ,

10

do not exh ib i t the ' ' t e n d e n c y to f o r m l e s s n e s s " of the l a s t c a n t o s . It

s e e m s obv ious t h a t Byron 1 s p u r p o s e f o r b r i n g i n g Don J u a n to E n g l a n d

m u s t have a r i s e n f r o m a d e s i r e to i n s t i g a t e a r e v o l u t i o n a g a i n s t t h e

v i c e s wh ich E n g l a n d , a s be s a w i t , c h o s e to i g n o r e , if the w o r l d could

no t . As B y r o n b r i n g s h i s h e r o in s igh t of the D o v e r c l i f f s , he d r a w s

b a c k f r o m e i t h e r s e n t i m e n t o r b i t t e r n e s s and is now a b l e to d e c l a r e , in

h o n e s t e v a l u a t i o n :

I ' v e no g r e a t c a u s e to Jove t h a t spo t of e a r t h , Which ho lds wha t m i g h t have b e e n the n o b l e s t na t ion ; ,

But though I owe it l i t t l e but m y b i r t h , I f e e l a m i x e d r e g r e t and v e n e r a t i o n

F o r i t s d e c a y i n g f a m e and f o r m e r w o r t h . Seven y e a r s (the u s u a l t e r m of t r a n s p o r t a t i o n )

Of ab s eiic e l a y one ' s old r e s e n t m e n t s l eve l , When a m a n ' s c o u n t r y ' s going to the dev i l .

(x, 66)11

One of the f i r s t E n g l i s h h y p o c r i s i e s to c o m e u n d e r B y r o n ' s r i d i c u l e

is t h i E n g l i s h a t t i t u d e t o w a r d t h e i r own f r e e d o m . Don J u a n ' s a r r i v a l in

London is p r e c e d e d by B y r o n ' s a p p r a i s a l of the m u c h - c h e r i s h e d h y p o c r i s y

to u n d e r s c o r e the i r o n y of J u a n ' s s u b s e q u e n t a t t i t u d e . B y r o n is no t to

10

R u t h e r f o r d , B y r o n : A C r i t i c a l Study, p. 199.

1 1 Don J u a n , III, 257.

60

b e c o n v i n c e d t h a t E n g l a n d is r e a l l y f r e e , a s s h e h a s " b u t c h e r e d ha l f

12 t h e e a r t h , a n d b u l l i e d t ' o t h e r " (x, 81);

A l a s ! cou ld She bu t f u l l y , t r u l y , k n o w How h e r g r e a t n a m e is now t h r o u g h o u t a b h o r r e d ;

How e a g e r a l l t h e e a r t h i s f o r t h e b low Which s h a l l l a y b a r e h e r b o s o m to t h e s w o r d ;

How a l l t h e n a t i o n s d e e m h e r t h e i r w o r s t f o e , T h a t w o r s e t h a n w o r s t of f o e s , t h e o n c e a d o r e d

F a l s e f r i e n d , who he ld out f r e e d o m to m a n k i n d , And n o w w o u l d c h a i n t h e m - - to t h e v e r y m i n d ;

Would s h e be p r o u d , o r b o a s t h e r s e l f t he f r e e , Who i s bu t f i r s t of s l a v e s ? The n a t i o n s * a r e

In p r i s o n , - - bu t t he j a i l o r , w h a t i s h e ? No l e s s a v i c t i m to t h e b o l t a n d b a r .

Is t h e p o o r p r i v i l e g e to t u r n t h e k e y Upon t h e c a p t i v e , f r e e d o m ? He 1 s a s f a r

F r o m the e n j o y m e n t of the e a r t h and a i r Who w a t c h e s o ' e r t h e c h a i n , a s t h e y who w e a r .

(x, 6 7 - 6 8 ) 1 3

B y r o n ' s s y m p a t h y wi th t h e I r i s h , who h a d b e e n s u b j e c t e d to w h a t h e

v /ould s u r e l y c a l l E n g l i s h t y r a n n y , i s i l l u s t r a t e d o f t e n in Don J u a n . As

a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of E n g l i s h f r e e d o m , B y r o n h a d p o r t r a y e d C a s t l e r e a g h

a s a " C o l d - b l o o d e d , s m o o t h - f a c e d , p l a c i d m i s c r e a n t ! / D a b b l i n g i t s

14

s l e e k young h a n d s in E r i n ! s g o r e . . . " ( " D e d i c a t i o n , " 12). B y r o n

would, n o t add h i s v o i c e to t h e a p o l o g y f o r t y r a n n y w h i c h E n g l a n d

c l o t h e d in t h e h y p o c r i s y of f r e e d o m , a n d h i s i n d i g n a t i o n o v e r t h e

o p p r e s s i o n of t h e I r i s h w a s one f a c t o r w h i c h m u s t h a v e p r o m o t e d t h e

12 13 Ibid.. , p, 265 . Ib id . , p . 258,

14 . Don J u a n , II, 16.

61

c r i t i c i s m he h u r l e d a t the k ind of f r e e d o m E n g l a n d a l l o w e d . T h e

c o m m e n t s of G e o r g e T r e v e l y a n r e v e a l t h a t B y r o n 1 s r e a l i s t i c a s s e s s m e n t

of a t l e a s t o n e a s p e c t of E n g l i s h l ! f r e e d o m " w a s no t f a r w r o n g :

T h e i s l a n d i t s e l f , t w i c e c o n q u e r e d by C r o m w e l l a n d b y W i l l i a m , l a y q u i e t u n d e r B r i t i s h a n d P r o t e s t a n t a s c e n d a n c y , a n d u n d e r t h e i n i q u i t o u s a n d p a r t l y e n f o r c e d P e n a l L a w s a g a i n s t C a t h o l i c s .

In t h e l a s t t h i r t y y e a r s of t h e [ e i g h t e e n t h ] C e n t u r y [ s i c ] t h e o ld b o n e s in t h a t v a l l e y of d e s o l a t i o n b e g a n to s t i r u n d e r t h e r e v i v i n g w i n d s of a n e w a g e . . . . a g a i n s t a s y s t e m of t y r a n n y t h a t s a c r i f i c e d I r e l a n d a s a w h o l e to E n g l i s h t r a d i n g i n t e r e s t s , a i ^ l a l l o t h e r I r i s h d e n o m i n a t i o n s to A n g l i c a n a s c e n d a n c y .

E v e n in E n g l a n d , t h e o p p r e s s i o n of t h e g o v e r n m e n t w a s n o t l e s s s e v e r e

on occa . s i on . A f t e r t h e m i l i t a r y s u c c e s s of 1815, E n g l a n d w a s l e f t

s u f f e r i n g - f r o m a n e n o r m o u s d e b t , a n d the e c o n o m y w a s no t c a p a b l e of

r a i s i n g t h e f a r m l a b o r e r s a n d f a c t o r y w o r k e r s ou t of t h e i r e x t r e m e

p o v e r t y . When t h e p o o r d e m a n d e d r e f o r m s , t h e y w e r e o n l y a c c u s e d of

r e b e l l i o n . F i n a l l y in 1819, d u r i n g a p e a c e f u l m e e t i n g in M a n c h e s t e r to

c o n t i n u e t h e d e m a n d f o r r e f o r m , n a c o m p a n y of s o l d i e r s c h a r g e d t h e m ,

k i l l i n g a f e w arid i n j u r i n g h u n d r e d s . T h e ! P e t e r l o o m a s s a c r e 1 w a s

a p p l a u d e d by t h o s e in p o w e r a s p r a i s e w o r t h y r e p r e s s i o n of a n a t t e m p t

16 a t i n s u r r e c t i o n . ff

15 G e o r g e M. T r e v e l y a n , H i s t o r y of E n g l a n d (New Y o r k , 1 9 3 2 ^

p. 589,

16 . R a l p h P . B o a s a n d B a r b a r a IvL H a h n , S o c i a l B a c k g r o u n d s of

E n g l i s h L i t e r a t u r e ( B o s t o n , 1926) , pp . 1 0 7 - 1 9 8 ,

62

H o w e v e r , Don J u a n c o u l d not be in g r e a t e r r a p t u r e o v e r t h e i d e a

of E n g l i s h f r e e d o m a s he a r r i v e s on S h o o t e r ' s Hi l l o v e r l o o k i n g L o n d o n ,

He s e e s t h i s l and a s t h e p r e s e r v e r a n d p r o t e c t o r of f r e e d o m f o r m a n -

k i n d , a n d in a n a i v e b u r s t of e n t h u s i a s m f o r t h i s a p p e a r a n c e , J u a n

e x p o u n d s t h e v i r t u e s of t h i s n a t i o n :

nA.nd h e r e , ,f he c r i e d , " i s F r e e d o m ' s c h o s e n s t a t i o n ;

H e r e p e a l s t h e p e o p l e 1 s v o i c e , n o r c a n e n t o m b it R a c k s , p r i s o n s , i n q u i s i t i o n s ; r e s u r r e c t i o n A w a i t s i t , e a c h n e w m e e t i n g o r e l e c t i o n . [ " ]

(xi , 9)

B y r o n w i l l n o t a l l o w t h i s s e n t i m e n t a l d i s p l a y to p r o c e e d l o n g e r t h a n i s

n e c e s s a r y f o r h i s s a t i r i c p u r p o s e , a n d w i t h o b v i o u s d e l i g h t , h e i n t e r r u p t s

J u a n ' s e c s t a s y and c o n f r o n t s h i m w i t h a s o m e w h a t m o r e r e a l i s t i c e x a m p l e

of E n g l a n d ' s " f r e e d o m . " As Don J u a n r e a c h e s t h e c l i m a x of h i s p r a i s e

of t h e m o r a l i t y a n d s e l f - d i s c i p l i n e of the E n g l i s h p e o p l e , h e h e a r s s o m e 18

of E n g l a n d ' s " f r e e b o r n s o u n d s " (xi, 11):

" H e r e a r e c h a s t e w i v e s , p u r e l i v e s ; h e r e p e o p l e p a y But w h a t t h e y p l e a s e ; a n d if t h a t t h i n g s be d e a r ,

' T i s on ly t h a t t h e y l o v e to t h r o w a w a y T h e i r c a s h , t o s h o w h o w m u c h t h e y h a v e a - y e a r .

H e r e l a w s a r e a l l i n v i o l a t e ; n o n e l a y T r a p s f o r the t r a v e l l e r ; e v e r y h i g h w a y ' s c l e a r :

H e r e " - - h e w a s i n t e r r u p t e d by a k n i f e , With " D a m n y o u r e y e s ! y o u r m o n e y o r y o u r l i f e ! " .

(xi, 1 0 ) 1 9

17 Don J u a n , IIJ, 272.

18 Ib id . , p. 273 .

19 Ibid .

•:}, X 63

B y r ori 's a p p a r e n t conv ic t i on tha t Eng l and v/as n e i t h e r f r e e h e r s e l f nor

would a l low f r e e d o m f o r o t h e r s i s c o n v i n c i n g . It is t r u e t ha t E n g l a n d

w a s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r I r e l a n d ' s o p p r e s s i o n and the " P e t e r l o o m a s s a c r e , n

but it m u s t a l s o be r e m e m b e r e d t ha t she w a s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t u r n i n g the

d e s t r u c t i v e Napo leon ic t i de a w a y f r o m E u r o p e . B y r o n would not , how-

e v e r , give E n g l a n d c r e d i t f o r even th i s a t t e m p t to r e t u r n a b a l a n c e of

20 21 p o w e r to E u r o p e . B y r o n s p o l i t i c a l l i b e r a l i s m c o l o r s h i s v i e w of

E n g l i s h f r e e d o m , and the r e a l i t y he p r e s e n t s in d e a l i n g wi th the p r o b l e m

b e a r s the m a r k of h i s own s u b j e c t i v i t y and m u s t be a c c e p t e d s k e p t i c a l l y .

The h u m o r o u s and u n f l a t t e r i n g Shoo te r 1 s Hil l e p i s o d e is r e a l i s t i c ,

h o w e v e r , and it p r e s e n t s B y r o n wi th the o p p o r t u n i t y to q u e s t i o n the

va l i d i t y of E n g l i s h m o r a l i t y , Don J u a n had p r a i s e d E n g l a n d f o r i t s

22

n c h a s t e w i v e s " and " p u r e l i v e s " (xi, 10), and B y r o n ' s i l l u s t r a t i o n s

of the g e n e r a l l a c k of m o r a l i t y in E n g l a n d ' s soc ie ty wi l l e s t a b l i s h t he

i r o n y of t h i s a c c o l a d e . The a p p r a i s a l of Eng land t h r o u g h o u t t h i s s e c t i o n

of Don J u a n u l t i m a t e l y b r i n g s B y r o n b a c k to t h i s ub iqu i tous p r o b l e m of

i m m o r a l i t y . Don J u a n , w h o s e e d u c a t i o n is not qui te c o m p l e t e , is not

so e a s i l y conv inced a s B y r o n t h a t t he E n g l i s h a r e not a p a r t i c u l a r l y mora , !

2 0 „ T r e v e l y a n , H i s t o r y of E n g l a n d , p. 5 70.

21 E . L. Woodward , The Age of R e f o r m : 1815-1870 , Vol, XIII of

The O x f o r d H i s t o r y E n g l a n d , ed i t ed by G. N. C l a r k , 14 v o l s , (London, 1934-38) , P. 33. ~

22 Don J u a n , III, 273.

64

p e o p l e , J u a n a p o l o g e t i c a l l y s u r m i s e s t ha t t h i s is only t h e i r s o m e w h a t

u n u s u a l way of w e l c o m i n g f o r e i g n e r s ; even so , he a d m i t s t ha t n I

r e c o l l e c t s o m e i n n k e e p e r s who d o n ? t / D i f f e r , excep t in robb ing wi th a

23 bow . . , " (xi, 15).. Upon e n t e r i n g the c i ty , Don J u a n is e s c o r t e d to

a ho t e l s p e c i a l i z i n g in v i c t i m i z i n g w e a l t h y , f o r e i g n g u e s t s who " c a n n o t

24

f ind a b i l l ' s s m a l l i t e m s cos t ly 1 ' (xi, 31). As they a p p r o a c h the ho t e l

t h r o u g h L o n d o n ' s w e l l - l i g h t e d s t r e e t s , B y r o n p o n d e r s the f a l s e m o r a l i t y

of the c i ty ' s can t ing m i l l i o n s :

But L o n d o n ' s so w e l l l i t , t h a t if D i o g e n e s Could r e c o m m e n c e to hunt h i s h o n e s t m a n ,

- And found h i m not a m i d s t t he v a r i o u s p r o g e n i e s Of th i s e n o r m o u s c i ty T s s p r e a d i n g spawn,

1 T w e r e not f o r wan t of l a m p s to a id h i s dodging h i s Yet u n d i s c o v e r e d t r e a s u r e . . . . 7<-

(xi, 28)

Byron ? s s e v e r e a t t a c k on the h y p o c r i s y of m o r a l i t y and v i r t u e is

c l o s e l y a s s o c i a t e d with h i s t h o r o u g h c o n d e m n a t i o n of the can t of

Eng land 1 s s o c i e t y , and e s p e c i a l l y of i t s s o c i a l e l i t e , " W h o s e v i r t u e l i e s

26 in n e v e r be ing d e t e c t e d " (xiv, 61). On the Con t inen t a l a p s e in the

27

c a r e tu i p r o t e c t i o n of the a p p e a r a n c e of v i r t u e can be f o r g i v e n , but in

m o r a l Eng land , the d e t e c t i o n of l o s t v i r t u e b r i n g s i m m e d i a t e s c o r n and

t o t a l soc ia l ex i l e :

23 24 Ibid, , p. 275. Ibid. , p. 283.

25 26 I b i d . , p. 281. I b i d . , p. 437.

27 „ Ibid. , pp, 3 5 0 - 3 5 1 .

63

. . . w h e n a y o u n g b r i d e e r r s , P o o r t h i n g ! E v e ' s w a s a t r i f l i n g c a s e to h e r ' s .

S o c i e t y , t h a t c h i n a w i t h o u t f l a w , ( T h e h y p o c r i t e ! ) w i l l b a n i s h them, l i k e M a r i u s ,

To s i t a m i d s t t h e r u i n s of t h e i r g u i l t : F o r F a m e ' s a' C a r t h a g e no t so s o o n r e b u i l t .

(x i i , 64, 78)

B u t a s m u c h a s " g o o d s o c i e t y / I s no l e s s f a m e d f o r t o l e r a n c e t h a n

29

p i e t y . . (x i i , 80) B y r o n r e c o g n i z e s , a n d r e m e m b e r s , t h a t E n g l i s h

s o c i e t y i s t o l e r a n t o n l y of u n d e t e c t e d v i c e a n d i s c o n s e q u e n t l y f o r c e d to

w e a r t h e a p p e a r a n c e of p i e t y :

B u t t h e y who b l u n d e r t h u s a r e r a w b e g i n n e r s ; A l i t t l e g e n i a l s p r i n k l i n g of h y p o c r i s y

H a s s a v e d t h e f a m e of t h o u s a n d s p l e n d i d s i n n e r s . . . . (x i i , 66)

B y r o n c a n o n l y s i g h w i t h d i s g u s t a n d r e c o m m e n d to Don J u a n t h a t h e do

t h e o n l y a c c e p t a b l e t h ing w h e n in E n g l a n d : h e m u s t f o l l o w i t s p e c u l i a r

m o r a l c o d e w i t h g r e a t c a r e a n d " B e h y p o c r i t i c a l , be c a u t i o u s , b e / N o t

/ 3 1

w h a t y o u s e e m , b u t a l w a y s w h a t y o u s e e " (xi, 86) .

T h o m a s B. Ma. c a u l a y ' s a r t i c l e on M o o r e ' s L i f e of L o r d B y r o n ,

a p p e a r i n g in 1831 in t h e E d i n b u r g h R e v i e w , i l l u s t r a t e s t h e h y p o c r i s y of

E n g l i s h m o r a l i t y t h a t d r e w B y r o n ' s u n d e r s t a n d a b l e c r i t i c i s m in p a r t i c -

u l a r l y t h e l a s t s e v e n c a n t o s of Don J u a n :

28 29 Ib id . , p p . 345, 352 . Ib id . , p . 396 ,

30 3] P< 3 4 6 - Ibid. , p. 310.

66

We know no s p e c t a b l e so r i d i c u l o u s a s t he B r i t i s h pub l i c in one of i t s p e r i o d i c a l f i t s of m o r a l i t y . ID. g e n e r a l , e l o p e m e n t s , d i v o r c e s , and f a m i l y q u a r r e l s , p a s s wi th l i t t l e n o t i c e . We r e a d the s c a n d a l , t a l k about it f o r a day , and f o r g e t i t . But once in s ix o r s e v e n y e a r s o u r v i r t u e b e c o m e s o u t r a g e o u s . We canno t s u f f e r the l a w s of r e l i g i o n and d e c e n c y to be v i o l a t e d . We m u s t m a k e a s t a n d a g a i n s t v i c e . We m u s t t e a c h l i b e r t i n e s t h a t the E n g l i s h peop le a p p r e c i a t e the i m p o r t a n c e of d o m e s t i c t i e s . A c c o r d i n g l y s o m e u n f o r t u n a t e m a n , in no r e s p e c t m o r e d e p r a v e d t h a n h u n d r e d s w h o s e o f f e n c e s have b e e n t r e a t e d with l en i t y , i s s i n g l e d out a s a n e x p i a t o r y s a c r i f i c e . . . . We r e f l e c t v e r y c o m p l a c e n t l y on ou r own s e v e r i t y , and c o m p a r e wi th g r e a t p r i d e the h igh s t a n d a r d of m o r a l s e s t a b l i s h e d in E n g l a n d wi th the P a r i s i a n l a x i t y . At l e n g t h ou r a n g e r i s s a t i a t e d . Our v i c t i m is r u i n e d and h e a r t - b r o k e n . And our v i r t u e goes

32

q u i e t l y to s l e e p f o r s e v e n y e a r s m o r e . ~

M a c a u l a y 1 s b i a s i s obv ious ; h i s i m p l i c a t i o n s , h o w e v e r , m a y be applied.

to the g e n e r a l l e v e l of h y p o c r i t i c a l v i r t u e and f a l s e m o r a l i t y in the

E n g l i s h s o c i e t y . E . B e r e s f o r d C h a n c e l l o r ' s L i f e in R e g e n c y and E a r l y

V i c t o r i a n T i m e s r e v e a l s t h a t n A l t h o u g h so m a n y a m e l i o r a t i o n s g r a d u a l l y

took p l a c e a s r e g a r d s pub l i c m o r a l s and m a n n e r s d u r i n g the f i r s t half

of the c e n t u r y , i t s e a r l i e r y e a r s d id no t g ive v e r y m a r k e d e v i d e n c e of

33

t h i s . , . . M M a r c hand a c k n o w l e d g e s , h o w e v e r , t h a t B y r o n ' s f r i e n d s

w e r e in g e n e r a l a g r e e m e n t on h i s be ing " u n a w a r e of the g r o w i n g m o r a l

t e m p e r of t he bulk of t he r e a d i n g pub l i c , a d e v e l o p m e n t w h i c h w a s in p a r t 32 T h o m a s R. M a c a u l a y , f I M o o r e ' s L i f e of L o r d Byron , M The

E d i n b u r g h R e v i e w , LIJI ( June , 1831), 5 4 7 - 5 4 8 7 "

33 ^ _ - - - - - -E, B e r e s f o r d C h a n c e l l o r , L i f e in R e g e n c y and E a r ] v V i c t o r i a n

T i m e s (London, 1929), p. 9> ~~ -

67

34

a g e n e r a l r e a c t i o n to the p r o f l i g a c y of the c o u r t u n d e r the R e g e n t . . . . n

If B y r o n ' s a s sumpt ion , tha t E rig la.id was not a m o r a l na t ion i s i n c o r r e c t ,

he canno t have b e e n a s f a r f r o m the t r u t h , a t l e a s t c o n c e r n i n g the m o r a l

l a x i t y of the u p p e r c l a s s e s , a s s o m e m i g h t have w i s h e d h i m to b e .

By r o n ' s e x p e r i e n c e wi th Eng land 1 s m o r a l h y p o c r i s y w h e n he w a s s c o r n e d

m u s t have g iven e m p h a s i s to h i s c o n c e p t of the ex ten t of f a l s e m o r a l i t y ,

and h i s p o r t r a y a l of t h i s p e r v a s i v e h y p o c r i s y is p r o b a b l y not e x e m p t

f r o m s u b j e c t i v i t y . N e v e r t h e l e s s , h i s c o n t e m p t is exh ib i t ed wi th h igh-

v o l t a g e r i d i c u l e :

Oh f o r a f o r ty--par s on p o w e r to chaun t Thy p r a i s e , H y p o c r i s y ! Oh f o r a h y m n

Loud, a s the V i r t u e s thou dos t loud ly vaun t , Not p r a c t i s e ! . . .

(X, 3 4 ) 3 b

His essent.ia.l ly r e a l i s t i c a p p r a i s a l of t h i s f a n t a s y of E n g l i s h m o r a l i t y

is s o m e t i m e s ve i l ed in s a t i r e and r i d i c u l e , but he o f t e n s t e p s to the

f o o t l i g h t s and s p e a k s p l a in ly :

But how s h a l l I r e l a t e in o t h e r Can tos Of what b e f e l l our h e r o in the l and ,

Which ' t i s the c o m m o n c r y and l i e to vaun t a s A m o r a l c o u n t r y ? But I hold m y hand- -

F o r I d i s d a i n to w r i t e an A t a l a n t i s ; But r t i s a s we l l a t once to u n d e r s t a n d ,

You a r e not a m o r a l peop le , and you know it , Without the a id of too s i n c e r e a poe t .

<xi. 871 3 6

34 35 Marchand, B y r o n , II, 765, Don-Joan, HI, 241.

^ '3 lb id. , p. 311.

rh 68

It i s wi th obv ious r e l i s h t ha t B y r o n a p p r o a c h e s the c a n v a s upon . 8

w h i c h he wi l l pa in t , with r e a l i s t i c s t r o k e s * the" G r e a t W o r l d of the e l i t e ,

t h a t v i r t u o u s l y i m m o r a l , p a m p e r eel, and M poI i sh f d h o r d e , / F o r m ' d of

37

two m i g h t y t r i b e s , t he B o r e s and Bored 1 1 (xi i i , 95), B y r o n ' s d e s c r i p t i o n s

of t h i s s e l e c t g r o u p r e v e a l a r e c u r r i n g c y c l e of b a s i c a l l y u n i m p o r t a n t but 38

i m p r e s s i v e s o c i a l i n t e r c o u r s e , of m a r r y i n g , u n m a r r y i n g , and r e m a r r y i n g ,

of u n r e s t and d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n , and of v i r t u o u s a f f e c t a t i o n s and. h i d d e n

v i c e s . The s o c i a l e x c h a n g e i s not p r o g r e s s i v e but m e r e l y r e p e t i t i v e :

When we h a v e m a d e our love , and g a m e d our g a m i n g ,

D r e s t , vo t ed , shone , and, m a y be , s o m e t h i n g m o r e ; With d a n d i e s d ined ; h e a r d s e n a t o r s d e c l a i m i n g ;

Seen b e a u t i e s b r o u g h t to m a r k e t by the s c o r e ; Sad r a k e s to s a d d e r h u s b a n d s c h a s t e l y t a m i n g ;

T h e r e 1 s l i t t l e l e f t but to be b o r e d o r b o r e . - * (xiv, 1 8 ) 3 9

His e v a l u a t i o n of t h i s c y c l i c a l m o n o t o n y o f t e n r e m i n d s the r e a d e r of

b i o g r a p h i c a l d e t a i l s of B y r o n ' s l i f e in London , when he w a s a f a s h i o n a b l e

a d d i t i o n to any ba l l , o r of h i s e a r l y m o n t h s in I t a ly . His d e s c r i p t i o n s

o f t e n u n d e r s c o r e the e s s e n t i a l f u t i l i t y of the f a s h i o n a b l e l i f e : .

They a r e young, but know not y o u t h - - i t is a n t i c i p a t e d ; H a n d s o m e but w a s t e d , r i c h wi thou t a sou ;

T h e i r v i g o u r in a t h o u s a n d a r m s i s d i s s i p a t e d ; T h e i r c a s h c o m e s f r o m , t h e i r w e a l t h goes to a Jew;

Both s e n a t e s s e e t h e i r n ight ly v o t e s pa i t i c i p a t e d ~ B e t w e e n the t y r a n t ' s and the t r i b u n e s ' c r e w ;

37 * > * P* 402. ^k jb id , , p. 308.

3 9 I b i d . , p. 418.

6{)

And having voted , dined, d r ank , g a m e d , and w h o r e d , The f a m i l y vault r e c e i v e a n o t h e r l o r d .

' (xi , 75)

T h e r e is a u n i f o r m i t y a m o n g t h e s e peop le , a p p a r e n t l y p r o d u c e d by the

n e c e s s a r y c o n f o r m i t y to a s t a n d a r d of s u p e r i o r i t y , tha t is m a d e ev iden t

by B y r o n ' s r i d i c u l e . n S o c i e t y is smoothed to tha t e x c e s s , / T h a t m a n n e r s

41

h a r d l y d i f f e r m o r e than d r e s s " (xiii , 94); t h e r e f o r e , no one c o n c e r n e d

with the m a i n t e n a n c e of h i s envied s t a tu s d a r e s d i f f e r to the point of

ind iv idua l i ty in a soc i e ty in which " m a n n e r s now m a k e the m e n . *

(xv, 26).

The h y p o c r i s y of s o c i a l s u p e r i o r i t y is s h a t t e r e d p r i m a r i l y in

Cantos XIII t h r o u g h XVI when B y r o n ' s s a t i r e is a i m e d a t L o r d H e n r y

and Lady A m u n d e v i l l e and t h e i r h o u s e g u e s t s a t N o r m a n Abbey, The

a r r i v a l of the s h o r t s u m m e r s e a s o n b r i n g s with it the d e p a r t u r e f r o m

London of i t s e l i t e c o t e r i e , and the A m u n d e v i l l e p a r t y jo in the y e a r l y

p i l g r i m a g e ;

. . . The w o r l d w a s gone; The twice two thousand , f o r w h o m e a r t h w a s m a d e , '

Were van i shed to be what t hey ca l l a lone . . (xiii , 49)

With Don J u a n as a m e m b e r of the p a r t y , Byron ha s the c h a n c e to i l l u s -

t r a t e the a f f e c t a t i o n s of th i s g r o u p a g a i n s t the b a c k g r o u n d of J u a n ' s

40 41 Ibid. , p. 306). Ibid. , p. 402.

42 , 4^ I b i d . , p. 468. Ibid. , p. 381.

70

s e n s i b i l i t y and w a r m t h , the g e n t r y ' s i 'o rmal f a m i l i a r i t y , and the

p e a s a n t s ' n a t u r a l conduc t , B y r o n ' s p u r p o s e , h o w e v e r , i s no t to

p r o c l a i m the i n f e r i o r i t y of the G r e a t Wor ld ; he only w i s h e s to show

t h a t t hey h a v e the s a m e v i c e s , e m o t i o n s , and f a l l i b i l i t i e s a s t h e i r l e s s

p r o m i n e n t f e l l o w s . In the c o u n t r y e n v i r o n m e n t , a d a i l y r o u n d of d in ing ,

hun t ing , r e a d i n g , wa lk ing , o r w r i t i n g l e t t e r s p r o v i d e s t h e e n t e r t a i n m e n t

in k e e p i n g wi th the s t a t i o n of t h e s e e l i t e , and " a l l w a s g e n t l e and a r i s t o -

44

c r a t i c / l n t h i s o u r p a r t y ; p a l i s h ' d , s m o o t h and cold . . . " (x i i , 110).

In c o n t r a s t wi th the d i s c i p l i n e d u r b a n i t y of the g u e s t s a t N o r m a n Abbey ,

t h o s e m e m b e r s of the g e n t r y inv i t ed to the c a m p a i g n d i n n e r which would

s end L o r d H e n r y b a c k to P a r l i a m e n t c l e a r l y i l l u s t r a t e t h a t the f a l l a c y

of s u p e r i o r i t y i s m a i n t a i n e d bo th f r o m a b o v e and be low:

But of a l l n a t u r e ' s d i s c r e p a n c i e s , none Upon the who le is g r e a t e r than t h e d i f f e r e n c e

B e h e l d b e t w e e n the c o u n t r y and the town, Of wh ich the l a t t e r m e r i t s e v e r y p r e f e r e n c e

F r o m t h o s e who h a v e f ew r e s o u r c e s of t h e i r own, And only th ink , o r a c t , o r f e e l wi th r e f e r e n c e

To s o m e s m a l l p l an of i n t e r e s t o r a m b i t i o n - -Both wh ich a r e l i m i t e d to no cond i t ion ,

45

(xvi, 85)

In the g e n t r y ' s d e s p e r a t i o n to e m u l a t e e v e n the a t t i t u d e s of t h e i r s o c i a l

e x a m p l e s a t N o r m a n Abbey , Don J u a n { s p r e o c c u p a t i o n , and c o n s e q u e n t

^ I b i d , , p„ 409.

45 Ibid. , p. 541,

71

s i l e n c e , d u r i n g the e x t r a v a g n o t f e a s t m e t w i th t h e i r h e a r t i e s t d i s a p p r o v a l ,

arid " T h e y w o n d e r e d how a. young m a n so a b s u r d / L o r d H e n r y a t h i s t a b l e

s h o u l d e n d u r e , . . n (xvi., 89)* ^

In f e w o t h e r p l a c e s is t he s u p e r i o r a t t i t u d e of e v e n the m i d d l e

c l a s s e x p o s e d to m o r e r i d i c u l e t h a n w h e n B y r o n i n t r o d u c e s L o r d H e n r y

in h i s r o l e a s r e s i d e n t j u s t i c e , e x a m i n i n g t h e c a s e s of a p o a c h e r and a n

u n w e d , bu t v e r y p r e g n a n t , c o u n t r y g i r l . A s e x p e c t e d , B y r o n i s in

o b v i o u s s y m p a t h y w i t h t h e p o a c h e r arid h i s n a t u r a l r i g h t s , a l t h o u g h t h e

a c c e p t e d h y p o c r i s y of s u p e r i o r i t y d e m a n d s t h a t s h o o t i n g p a r t r i d g e s a n d

47 p h e a s a n t s is "no s p o r t f o r p e a s a n t s 1 ' (x i i i , 75):

L o r d H e n r y w a s a j u s t i c e , a n d t h a t Scout The c o n s t a b l e , b e n e a t h a w a r r a n t ' s b a n n e r , Had b a g g e d t h i s p o a c h e r u p o n N a t u r e ' s m a n o r 5

(xvi , 62)

It i s , h o w e v e r , t he p e n c h a n t of a.11 c l a s s e s f o r c l a i m i n g m o r a l

s u p e r i o r i t y o v e r a d i s c o v e r e d t r a n s g r e s s o r w h i c h e n r a g e s B y r o n , a n d he

i n t e r p r e t s t h i s a t t i t u d e w i th c a u s t i c r i d i c u l e d e s i g n e d to a r o u s e h i s r e a d e r ' s

i n d i g n a t i o n o v e r t h i s p r o s t i t u t i c n of r e a l i t y . He is p r i m a r i ly c o n c e r n e d

w i t h p r e s e n t i n g the g i r l ' s r e a c t i o n s to t h e e x a m i n a t i o n w h i c h L o r d H e n r y

h o p e s w i l l e x p o s e t he m a n r e s p o n s i b l e f o r h e r d i s t a s t e f u l c o n d i t i o n .

46 Ibid. , p . 543.

47 Ib id . , p. 394.

48 Ib id . , p. 531.

72

49 Not " i n s o l e n t enough to s c o r n t h e s co r tier . . . " (xvi, 65), she w a i t s

p a t i e n t l y f o r the i n t e r v i e w to p r o c e e d :

The p r e s e n t c u l p r i t w a s e x t r e m e l y p a l e , P a l e a s if p a i n t e d so; h e r c h e e k be ing r e d

By n a t u r e , a s in h i g h e r d a m e s l e s s h a l e ' T i s wh i t e , a t l e a s t w h e n t h e y j u s t r i s e f r o m bed .

P e r h a p s she w a s a s h a m e d of s e e m i n g f r a i l , P o o r s o u l ! f o r she w a s c o u n t r y b o r n and b r e d ,

And knew no b e t t e r in h e r i m m o r a l i t y Than to wax w h i t e - - f o r b l u s h e s a r e f o r qua l i t y .

(xvi, 64)"^

If B y r o n is to be b e l i e v e d , i t would s e e m tha t the l o w e r c l a s s e s a r e

u s u a l l y e x p e c t e d to w a i t p a t i e n t l y , e x p e c t e d to a c c e p t t h e i r i n f e r i o r i t y ,

and e x p e c t e d to o r d e r t h e i r l i v e s a c c o r d i n g to the w i s h e s of t h e i r b e t t e r s .

If B y r o n is not i n c o r r e c t , h i s r e a d e r s m u s t q u e s t i o n the v a l i d i t y of the

s o c i a l o r m o r a l s u p e r i o r i t y of any c l a s s .

B y r o n ' s r e a l i s t i c a p p r a i s a l of E n g l a n d ' s i n h a b i t a n t s and the h y p c c -

c r i s i e s p e r v a d i n g t h e i r i n s t i t u t i o n s and c u s t o m s is r a t h e r c o m p l e t e .

His s a t i r e of the E n g l i s h g o v e r n m e n t with i t s t a x e s and o p p r e s s i o n , of

p o l i t i c i a n s and t h e i r l i e s , d e c e i t , and g e n e r a l i n e f f i c i e n c y , of " r o y a l

51

i t ch and l o y a l s c r a t c h i n g " (xi, 78), of l a w y e r s , d o c t o r s , and p o e t s is

m a r k e d t h r o u g h o u t by an i n s i s t e n c e on the p r e s e n t a t i o n of a r e a l i s t i c

e v a l u a t i o n of Eng l and a s h i s s u r e s t m e a n s of r i d i c u l e . The co ld ly

49 I b i d . , p. 532.

50 Ibid.

5 3 Ibid. , p. 307.

73

m e t h o d i c a l , even c o m m e r c i a l , nature; of the m a r r i a g e m a r t s of the

b e a u m o n d e s t a r t l e s Don J u a n and p r o m p t s B y r o n to ind ignan t , and

h u m o r o u s , a s s a u l t . The cool and u n e m o t i o n a l E n g l i s h c h a r a c t e r ,

p e r s o n i f i e d by L o r d H e n r y A m u n d e v i l l e , a l s o m e r i t s and r e c e i v e s

B y r o n ' s d i s a p p r o v a l . The h y p o c r i s i e s i n h e r e n t in the E n g l i s h c o n c e p t ,

of t h e i r own f r e e d o m and m o r a l i t y and the h y p o c r i s i e s wh ich k e e p the

s o c i a l e l i t e aloof in s elf - a s s u r a n c e a r e a l l a t t a c k e d b e c a u s e t h e i r

f o u n d a t i o n s a r e i m b e d d e d in f a l s e h o o d i n s t e a d of the" r e a l i t y w h i c h is

obv ious to B y r o n .

His p u r p o s e is not to l e v e l the E n g l i s h i n s t i t u t i o n s and c u s t o m s

he s a t i r i z e s ; B y r o n is not a n i h i l i s t . R.a ther , h i s s a t i r e i s n o t i c e a b l y

c o n s t r u c t i v e ; he r e c o m m e n d s , both d i r e c t l y and i n d i r e c t l y , t h a t m a n

a c c e p t noth ing on f a i t h and e v a l u a t e h o n e s t l y the a p p e a r a n c e s of h i s

s o c i e t y : B y r o n r e c o m m e n d s a r e a l i s t i c a p p r a i s a l of s o c i a l and m o r a l

a t t i t u d e s . He r e m e m b e r e d the h y p o c r i s y wh ich w a s E n g l a n d , and he

u n d e r s t o o d the s e c u r i t y and content, of a c o n s c i e n c e a s s u a g e A U , r

h y p o c r i s y . His c o n s t r u c t i v e s a t i r e is d e s i g n e d to cut to the qu ick of

h i s r e a d e r ' s c o n s c i e n c e - - t o m a k e h i m i n s e c u r e by s t r i p p i n g h i m of h i s

h y p o c r i s i e s . B y r o n r e c e i v e d o p p o s i t i o n f r o m his f r i e n d s , h i s p u b l i s h e r ,

T e r e s a Gu icc io l i , and h i s r e a d e r s ; h i s r e a l i s t i c p o r t r a i t of s o c i a l ev i l s

w a s not a l w a y s p l e a s a n t , and he knew it . Yet , he would no t s e e k t h e i r

74

52

a p p l a u s e by a s s u r i n g h i s society* a s he fel l Sou they w a s d o i n g .

I n s t e a d , h e c h o s e to c o n t i n u e h i s a p p a r e n t l y f u t i l e t a s k of b e a t i n g h i s

s a t i r i c h e a d a g a i n s t t h e i r ! ! m o r a l n d o o r s ;

Bu t n o w V m going to be i m m o r a l ; now I m e a n to s h o w t h i n g s r e a l l y a s t hey a r e ,

Not a s t h e y ough t to b e : f o r I avow, T h a t t i l l w e s e e w h a t ' s w h a t in f a c t , we 1 r e f a r

F r o m m u c h i m p r o v e m e n t w i t h t h a t v i r t u o u s p l o u g h Which s k i m s t h e s u r f a c e , l e a v i n g s c a r c e a s c a r

Upon t h e b l a c k l o a m l o n g m a n u r e d by V i c e , On ly to k e e p i t s c o r n a t t in. o ld p r i c e . - ~

(xiL 40)

52 Ibid . , p . 243, See L e t t e r s a n d J o u r n a l s , IV, 285 .

53 Don J u a n , III, 335.

C H A P T E R Y

T H E FUNCTIONAL, R E A L I T Y

IN DON J U A N

Al though B y r o n exh ib i t ed s o m e c r i t i c a l u n c e r t a i n t y about the m e r i t s

of h i s own w o r k a s l a t e a s the t i m e w h e n he t u r n e d t e m p o r a r i l y f r o m

s a t i r e to d r a m a in 1821, i t i s a p p a r e n t tha t , by the t i m e he h a d

c o m p l e t e d the t w e l f t h c a n t o of Don Ju-an, B y r o n w a s f i r m l y c o n v i n c e d of

the p o e t i c s t r e n g t h of h i s d e v e l o p i n g s a t i r e and was d e t e r m i n e d to devo t e

m o r e a t t e n t i o n to t h i s l i t e r a r y c h a s t e n i n g of s o c i e t y . He i n d i c a t e d in

Can to XII t h a t t he p r e v i o u s c a n t o s w e r e only i n t r o d u c t i o n s to the body

2

of the p o e m , and t h e s e s o m e w h a t t e r s e s t a t e m e n t s a r e a m o n g s e v e r a l

h in t s in h i s l e t t e r s and in t h e p o e m i t se l f t h a t t h i s w o r k w a s f a r f r o m

f i n i s h e d a t the t i m e of h i s d e a t h in A p r i l , 1824. A s i g n i f i c a n t r e a s o n

f o r the s a t i r i c s t r e n g t h of Don J u a n w a s m a d e obvious to B y r o n by the

1 A n d r e w R u t h e r f o r d , B y r o n : A C r i t i c a l Study (S t an fo rd , 1961), p. 135. "" " ~

2 G e o r g e Gordon , L o r d B y r o n , A V a r i o r u m Ed i t i on : C a n t o s VI-

XVII, Vol. I l l of B y r o n ' s "Don J u a n , " ed i t ed by T r u m a n G. Slc^'fan" -

and VnllLs W. P r a t t , 4 v o l s . (Aus t in , 1957), pp. 341, 356. H e r e a f t e r c i t e d a s Don J u a n , III.

75

76

. . 3

r e a c t i o n of b i s r e a d e r s : 5 The t r u t h is ih.-i t i t i s T O O T R U E . . . "

h e t o l d h i s p u b l i s h e r . Wi th Don J u a n , B y r o n a t t e m p t e d to m a k e a

r e a l i s t i c a s s e s s m e n t of t h e t r a d i t i o n s , p r e j u d i c e s , a n d h y p o c r i s i e s of

h i s s o c i e t y a~s 3. m e a n s of a d d i n g e m p h a s i s to h i s s a t i r i c s t r i c t u r e s ,

a n d t h i s a t t e m p t r e v e a l s t h e c o m p r e h e n s i v e s c o p e of B y r o n ' s i n t e r e s t s ,

t h e n a t u r e of h i s p h i l o s o p h i c a l t h o u g h t , a n d e v e n h i s own p r e j u d i c e s .

B y r o n ' s v a r i o u s a n d o f t e n c o n f l i c t i n g a t t i t u d e s r e g a r d i n g t h e

a b u s e s of h i s s o c i e t y a r e t h e p r o d u c t of h i s s k e p t i c a n d o b j e c t i v e e v a l -

u a t i o n of h i s e x p e r i e n c e a n d o b s e r v a t i o n . He a d d r e s s e s t h e r e a d e r w h o

h a s e q u a l l y s t r o n g p r e j u d i c e s , a n d a s h e q u e s t i o n s t h e v a l i d i t y of h i s

own o p i n i o n s , h e m u s t a l s o d o u b t h i s r e a d e r ' s t r a d i t i o n s , B y r o n ' s

s a t i r i c d i c e a r e l o a d e d , a n d he e x p e c t s h i s r e a d e r to r e c o g n i z e t h i s

f a c t . H o w e v e r , h e a l s o w a n t s t h e r e a d e r to c o m p r e h e n d t h a t t h e y a r e

l o a d e d w i t h s o m e t h i n g m o r e s i g n i f i c a n t t o h i s f r e e d o m t h a n s o c i e t y ' s

o p p r e s s i v e h y p o c r i s i e s ;

And t h a t ' s t h e m o r a l of t h i s c o m p o s i t i o n ,

If p e o p l e w o u l d but s e e i t s r e a l d r i f t ; - -B u t t h a t t h e y w i l l no t do w i t h o u t s u s p i c i o n ,

B e c a u s e a l l g e n t l e r e a d e r s h a v e t h e g i f t Of c l o s i n g ' g a i n s t the l i g h t t h e i r o r b s of v i s i o n . . . .

(vi, 88)

3 G e o r g e G o r d o n , L o r d B y r o n , L e t t e r s a n d J o u r n a l s , Vo l . V of

J j l z Stl - k ° r d B y r o n , e d i t e d by R o w l a n d E . P r o t h e r o , 13 v o l s . (New Y o r k , 1966), p . 9?V

oon J u a n , HI, 50.

77

B y r o n had d i s c a r d e d m a n y of the u n r e a s o n a b l e d e m a n d s m a d e u p o n

m a n by s o c i e t y t h r o u g h a n o b j e c t i v e e x a m i n a t i o n of the m e r i t s of s u c h

r e q u i r e m e n t s j and he r e p l a c e d t h e m wi th a t t i t u d e s m o r e c o n g e n i a l to

h i s p e r s o n a l i t y when he f e l t t h e y w e r e c o n d u c i v e to r e l e a s i n g m a n ' s

n a t u r a l i m p u l s e s t h a t w e r e inh ib i t ed by u n n a t u r a l s o c i a l r e q u i s i t e s ;

M a n ' s a p h e n o m e n o n , one k n o w s not w h a t ,

And w o n d e r f u l b e y o n d a l l w o n d r o u s m e a s u r e ; 1 T i s p i t y though , in t h i s s u b l i m e w o r l d , t ha t

P l e a s u r e d a s in , a n d s o m e t i m e s S i n a p l e a s u r e . . . . (i, 133) J

The t h e m e of a p p e a r a n c e and r e a l i t y , ^ wh ich is u b i q u i t o u s in Don

J u a n , m a y be s e e n a s t he c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n C i v i l i z a t i o n o r Soc i e ty and

7

N a t u r e . B y r o n ' s a p p e a l f o r a r e a l i s t i c e x a m i n a t i o n of a l l a s p e c t s of

l i f e is a l m o s t i n v a r i a b l y a n a p p e a l f o r w h a t is n a t u r a l - - t h a t m a n fo l low

his own n a t u r e a s h i s b e s t g u i d e - - a s a s u b s t i t u t e f o r t he t r a d i t i o n s and c u s t o m s s o c i e t y o f f e r s m a n :

But a l l [ e m b l e m s of E m o t i o n ] a r e b e t t e r t han t he s i gh s u p p r e s t ,

C o r r o d i n g in t he c a v e r n of the h e a r t , Mak ing t h e c o u n t e n a n c e a m a s q u e of r e s t ,

And t u r n i n g h u m a n n a t u r e to a n a r t . F e w m e n d a r e s h o w t h e i r t h o u g h t s of w o r s t o r b e s t ;

D i s s i m u l a t i o n a l w a y s s e t s a p a r t

5 G e o r g e Gordon , L o r d B y r o n , A V a r i o r u m E d i t i o n : C a n t o s I - V ,

Vol. II of B y r o n ' s "Don J u a n , " ed i t ed by T r u m a n G. Ste . f fan"and"Vil l i s W. P r a t t , 4 v o l s . (Aus t in , 1957), p. 93.

^ E l i z a b e t h F . Boyd, B y r o n ' s ' ^ o n Juan ' 1 : A C r i t i c a l Study (New B r u n s w i c k , New J e r s e y , 1945), p, 58.

7

lb id. , pp . 58, 70. See Dor- J u a n , III. 146.

78

A c o r n e r f o r h e r s e l f ; and t h e r e f o r e F i c t i o n Is tha t which p a s s e s wi th l e a s t c o n t r a d i c t i o n .

(xv# 3)

B y r o n ' s e x a m i n a t i o n of s o c i a l c u s t o m s is d e s i g n e d to e x p o s e the

a p p e a r a n c e s , upon wh ich the r e s p e c t a b i l i t y of t h e s e c u s t o m s d e p e n d s ,

a s be ing c o n t r a r y to m a n ' s n a t u r a l i m p u l s e s and to s u g g e s t m o r e

a c c e p t a b l e a l t e r n a t i v e s by i m p l i c a t i o n o r e d i t o r i a l c o m m e n t a r y . When

B y r o n a d v o c a t e s n a t u r a l i s m , he s e e m s to i n d i c a t e a d e s i r e f o r an a t t i t u d e

t h a t i s f r e e f r o m a f f e c t a t i o n o r c o n v e n t i o n a l r e s t r a i n t . H a i d e e w a s

n a t u r a l b e c a u s e a f f e c t a t i o n and r e s t r a i n t w e r e not a p a r t of h e r p e r s o n -

a l i t y , and a s she w a s n a t u r a l , H a i d e e w a s c a p a b l e of knowing and giving

wha t B y r o n f e l t to be a m o r e r e a l i s t i c f o r m of love t h a n s o c i e t y a l l o w s

o r c o m p r e h e n d s . Th i s p r o g r e s s i v e , l i b e r a l thought w a s not r e c e i v e d

wi th a s m u c h u n d e r s t a n d i n g a s B y r o n m i g h t have hoped , and i r o n i c a l l y

t he s o c i e t y he a t t e m p t e d to p o r t r a y r e a l i s t i c a l l y , t h r o u g h f i d e l i t y to h i s

cogn i t ion of f a c t u a l i t y , c o n d e m n e d h i m f o r w r i t i n g i m m o r a l v e r s e .

Al though he w a s s o m e t i m e s d i s c o u r a g e d , he did m a i n t a i n a c e r t a i n

o p t i m i s m tha t p e r h a p s h i s p u r p o s e f o r w r i t i n g Don J u a n w a s not a b o r t i v e .

"Don J u a n wi l l be known by and bye , !? he w r o t e to John M u r r a y , ! , fo r

wha t it is i n t ended , - - a S a t i r e on a b u s e s of the p r e s e n t s t a t e s of Soc ie ty ,

8 Don Juan , III, 457.

79

9

a n d n o t a n e u l o g y of v i c e . . . . " T h e s e n t i m e n t s e x p r e s s e d in t h i s

l e t t e r of D e c e m b e r 25, 1822 a r e r e p e a l e d o f t e n in t h e p o e m :

B u t p o l i t i c s , a n d p o l i c y , a n d p i e t y ,

A r e t o p i c s w h i c h I s o m e t i m e s i n t r o d u c e , Not o n l y f o r t h e s a k e of t h e i r v a r i e t y ,

B u t a s s u b s e r v i e n t to a m o r a l u s e ; B e c a u s e m y b u s i n e s s i s to d r e s s s o c i e t y ,

A n d s tu f f w i t h s a g e t h a t v e r y v e r d a n t g o o s e ,

(xv, 93) 0

.He c o n t i n u e d to a t t a c k s o c i a l a b u s e s , a n d f r o m t h i s s a t i r e of s o c i e t y

c o m e s t h e p o e t ' s u n d e r s t a n d i n g of c e r t a i n r e a l i t i e s h i d d e n b e n e a t h

c e n t u r i e s of t r a d i t i o n a n d u s a g e . T h e s e i n t e r d e p e n d e n t r e a l i t i e s a r e

t h e d i s t i l l a t i o n s of h i s c o m p r e h e n s i o n of t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n w h a t

s o c i e t y a c c e p t s a s a b s o l u t e a n d i m m u t a b l e a n d t h a t w h i c h h e u n d e r s t a n d s

to b e on ly a t e m p o r a r y h y p o c r i s y o r c u s t o m . B y r o n ' s c o n c e p t i o n of

r e a l i t y i s a p r o d u c t of h i s s k e p t i c a l r e l a t i v i s m 1 1 w h i c h m a i n t a i n s

t h a t n o t h i n g i s c e r t a i n a n d t h a t e v e n h i s c o n c e p t i o n of r e a l i t y i s n e c e s -

s a r i l y r e l a t i v e to h i s i n d i v i d u a l i t y . H i s P y r r h o n i s m b e a r s a s t r i k i n g 9

G e o r g e G o r d o n , L o r d B y r o n , L e t t e r s a n d J o u r n a l s , Vo l . VI of T h e W o r k s of L o r d B y r o n , e d i t e d b y R o w l a n d E . P r o t h e r o , 13 v o l s . (New Y o r k , 1966) , p. 155.

1 ° ^ Don J u a n , III, 4 9 7 . '

1 B r i a n W i l k i e , R o m a n t i c P o e t s a n d E p i c T r a d i t i o n ( M a d i s o n , W i s c o n s i n , 1965) , p. 189.

80

1 2 r e s e m b l a n c e to R e n a i s s a n c e l i b e r t i n e thought. , w h i c h d e m a n d e d a

13

r e a l i s t i c e x a m i n a t i o n of t n e a u t h o r i t y of c u s t o m s . B y r o n a s s e r t s

t h r o u g h Don J u a n t h a t n o t h i n g , no t e v e n m a n ' s m o s t s a c r e d c u s t o m s ,

m e r i t s r e c o g n i t i o n a s a b s o l u t e r e a l i t y , a s a b s o l u t e s do no t e x i s t in a

w o r l d of a p p e a r a n c e s . C o n s e q u e n t l y , m a n ' s f e e b l e a t t e m p t a t a n h o n e s t

e v a l u a t i o n of w h a t i s r e a l o r e t e r n a l m u s t , of n e c e s s i t y , b e e n c u m b e r e d

w i t h h u m a n s u b j e c t i v i t y , p r e v e n t i n g h i m f r o m c o m p r e h e n d i n g e v e n t h e e s s e n c e of h i s own i m m e d i a t e e n v i r o n m e n t ;

A n d y e t f t i s v e r y p u z z l i n g on t h e b r i n k Of w h a t i s c a l l e d E t e r n i t y , t o s t a r e , And k n o w no m o r e of w h a t i s h e r e t h a n t h e r e . . . .

(x, 2 0 ) 1 4

F o r t h e p u r p o s e of s a t i r i z i n g h i s s o c i e t y , B y r o n e m p l o y e d h i s

c o m p r e h e n s i o n of w h a t w a s r e a l a s o p p o s e d to w h a t b o r e t h e a p p e a r a n c e

of r e a l i t y a s a m e a n s of q u e s t i o n i n g t h e c u s t o m s h e f e l t t o b e o p p r e s s i n g

m a n ' s n a t u r a l i n c l i n a t i o n s . He s a w t h a t m a n h a d s u p p r e s s e d h i s own

n a t u r e by a d h e r i n g to h y p o c r i t i c a l c o d e s of c o n d u c t t h a t h a d c o m e to I

d e m a n d o b e d i e n c e . F o r t h i s r e a s o n , Don J u a n i s i n s i s t e n t t h a t t h e s e

12 L o u i s I. B r e d v o l d , " T h e N a t u r a l i s m of D o n n e in R e l a t i o n to

S o m e R e n a i s s a n c e T r a d i t i o n s , " T h e J o u r n a l of E n g l i s h and G e r m a n i c P h i l o l o g y , XXII ( O c t o b e r , 1923) , 498 . ~ "

13 Ib id . , pp . 4 9 5 - 4 9 7 .

14 Don J u a n , III, 234 .

81

c u s t o m s h a v e no e t h i c a l a u t h o r i t y o v e r m a n . B y r o n s u r e l y r e c o g n i z e d

t h a t t h e s o c i a l r e a l i t i e s h e p r e s e n t e d in t h e p o e m w e r e no t e x e m p t

f r o m h i s own s u b j e c t i v i t y a n d w e r e , c o n s e q u e n t l y , o n l y a n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n

of r e a l i t y ; h o w e v e r , h e m u s t h a v e c o n s i d e r e d h i s c o m p r e h e n s i o n of

r e a l i t y to be s u p e r i o r to t h e v e r s i o n s of t h o s e w h o a l l o w s o c i a l t y r a n n y

15

to w a r w i t h T h o u g h t . B y r o n ' s r e v o l u t i o n a r y a t t i t u d e s a r e e v i d e n t

t h r o u g h o u t Don J_uan, a n d t h e p u r p o s e of p o r t r a y i n g t h e h o r r i b l e a c t u a l i t y

of w a r in C a n t o s VII a n d VIII w a s to e n r a g e m a n ' s s e n s i b i l i t y a n d m a k e h i m

r i s e to r e b e l l i o n a g a i n s t t h e c i v i l i z e d c u s t o m of o p p r e s s i o n . S i m i l a r l y ,

t h e f u n c t i o n of B y r o n 1 s c o n c e p t s of r e a l i t y t h r o u g h a l l s i x t e e n c a n t o s

of Don J u a n i s t o e n c o u r a g e m a n to a n a w a r e n e s s of t h e t r a d i t i o n s of

p e r v a s i v e s o c i a l o p p r e s s i o n in t h e s o c i e t y to w h i c h he b e l o n g s t h r o u g h

a d h e r e n c e to i t s c o m m a n d s . B y r o n d o e s no t a s s e r t t h a t t h e r e a l i s m he

h a s c o n t r a s t e d w i t h s o c i a l a p p e a r a n c e s - i s a p a n a c e a ; h e w i l l no t c l a i m

to h a v e f o u n d v a l i d s o l u t i o n s to t h e p r o b l e m of a p p e a r a n c e a n d r e a l i t y

o r to t h e c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n S o c i e t y a n d N a t u r e . B y r o n ' s p u r p o s e f o r

s a t i r i z i n g s o c i e t y by e x p o s i n g i t s h y p o c r i s i e s to t h e r i d i c u l e of h i s

a s s e s s m e n t of w h a t i s n a t u r a l a n d s k e p t i c a l l y r e a l i s t i c w a s to e n c o u r a g e

m a n to t h i n k a n d to a s s e r t h i s own s o c i a l f r e e d o m :

15 Ib id , , p . 194.

82

It i s no t t h a t I a d u l a t e t he p e o p l e ; W i t h o u t m e , t h e r e a r e D e m a g o g u e s e n o u g h ,

A n d I n f i d e l s , to p u l l d o w n e v e r y s t e e p l e And s e t u p in t h e i r s t e a d s o m e p r o p e r s t u f f .

W h e t h e r t h e y m a y s o w S c e p t i c i s m to r e a p H e l l , A s i s t h e C h r i s t i a n d o g m a r a t h e r r o u g h ,

I do n o t know;" - - 1 w i s h m e n to b e f r e e A s m u c h f r o m m o b s a s k i n g s - - f r o m y o u as^igie.

(ix, 25)

17

M a r c h a n d h a s i n d i c a t e d B y r o n ' s a f f i n i t y f o r c o n t r a d i c t i o n , and

t h i s a t t i t u d e i s e x h i b i t e d t h r o u g h o u t Don J u a n , B y r o n e m p h a s i z e s t h a t

e v e n t h e r e a l i t y he h a s i n c o r p o r a t e d i n to t h i s s k e p t i c a l s a t i r e c a n a n d

m u s t b e c o n t r a d i c t e d by o t h e r e q u a l l y b a s i c r e a l i t i e s . T h i s i s to be

e x p e c t e d a n d n e c e s s a r y if t h e r e i s to b e a n y t r u t h to h i s p o e m :

Bu t if a w r i t e r s h o u l d b e q u i t e c o n s i s t e n t , How c o u l d he p o s s i b l y s h o w t h i n g s e x i s t e n t ? If p e o p l e c o n t r a d i c t t h e m s e l v e s , c a n I

H e l p c o n t r a d i c t i n g t h e m , a n d e v e r y b o d y , E v e n m y v e r a c i o u s s e l f ? - - B u t t h a t ' s a l i e ;

I n e v e r d id s o , n e v e r w i l l - - h o w s h o u l d I? He who d o u b t s a l l t h i n g s n o t h i n g c a n d e n y ;

T r u t h ' s foun ta i n s m a y b e c l e a r - - h e r s t r e a m s a r e m u d d y ,

And c u t t h r o u g h s u c h c a n a l s of c o n t r a d i c t i o n , T h a t s h e m u s t o f t e n n a v i g a t e o ' e r f i c t i o n .

(xv, 8 7 - 8 8 )

16 Ib id . , p . 195.

17 L e s l i e A. M a r c h a n d , B y r o n ; A B i o g r a p h y (New Y o r k , 1957) ,

I* 395.

18 Don J u a n , III, 1 94 - 1 95.

19

B y r o n h a s i n s i s t e d tha t h i s M u s e t r i e s not to d e a l in f i c t i o n but in t r u t h ;

ye t , a s B y r o n is h u m a n , he is f o r c e d to d e a l in f i c t i o n . F i c t i o n is one

a v e n u e to t r u t h and r e a l i t y , h o w e v e r , a s it i s o f t en t r u t h ' s v i r t u a l

i m a g e . The s t r e a m s a r e indeed m u d d y , and the r e a l i t y of the d i s o r d e r

and c o n t r a d i c t i o n s in l i f e i s a s s e r t e d , a c c o r d i n g to B r i a n Wilk ie , e v e n

by h i s r e f u s i n g to be c o n s i s t e n t in an a t t e m p t to p r e s e n t t he r e a l i t i e s of

t h i s f i c t i o n a l d i s o r d e r :

Without such u n d e r c u t t i n g of s k e p t i c i s m i t s e l f , Byr oi l ' s a t t i t u d e would e m e r g e a s a k ind of c o n s i s t e n t p o s i t i o n a f t e r a l l . . . . And t h i s ve in is only one of a d o z e n B y r o n w a n t s to exp lo i t in the p o e m , s i n c e it i s only one of m a n y m u t u a l l y i n c o n g r u o u s e l e m e n t s in l i f e . B y r o n w a n t s to w r i t e so c o m p r e h e n s i v e a p o e m . «. . t h a t it wi l l h a v e no m e s s a g e e x c e p t to a s s e r t a r a d i c a l d i s o r d e r .

Don J u a n is an " e n d l e s s s e r i e s of p a r t i c u l a r t r u t h s w h i c h . . .

r 1 21 [do j not add up to any T r u t h . M The p o e m is "a l i t t l e qu i e t l y f a c e t i o u s

22

upon e v e r y th ing . . . M i nc lud ing B y r c m ' s own a t t e m p t to p r e s e n t

the r e a l i t y - - t h e e s s e n c e — of s o c i e t y ' s a b u s e s . Don J u a n is an a t t e m p t

I 9 I b i d . , p . 416.

20 Wilkie , R.omantic. P o e t s arid E p i c T r a d i t i o n , p. 190.

21 ' I b I c L > P- 191.

22 G e o r g e Gordon , L o r d B y r o n , L e t t e r s and J o u r n a l s , Vol. IV of

The W o r k s of L o r d B y r o n , ed i ted by R o w l a n d E . P r o t h e r o " 13 v o l s . (New York , 1966), p. 260.

to r e p l a c e t h e p o e t r y of s e n t i m e n t w i t h t h e p o e t r y of h o n e s t y , f a c t u a l i ty ,

a n d t r u t h . Yet , e v e n B y r o n * s own p r e j u d i c e d d i s t i n c t i o n s b e t w e e n

a p p e a r a n c e and r e a l i t y c a n n o t be t a k e n , by h i m s e l f o r by h i s r e a d e r s ,

a s a n a b s o l u t e o r f i n a l t r u t h . U l t i m a t e t r u t h and r e a l i t y a r e b e y o n d

m a n ' s c o m p r e h e n s i o n , arid Dan J u a n a s s e r t s t ha t t h e y a r e u n a t t a i n a b l e .

B y r o n 1 s c r u s a d i n g e f f o r t to p r e s e n t a p p r o a c h e s to r e a l i t y in t h e p o e m

i s , t h u s , on ly a n e n c o u r a g e m e n t to t h e t h o u g h t f u l r e a d e r to s e e k h i s

own i m p e r f e c t r e a l i t i e s f r o m a m o n g t h e h y p o c r i s i e s p e r m e a t i n g t h e

c u s t o m s and i n s t i t u t i o n s of t h e s o c i e t y m a n h a s c r e a t e d .

B I B L I O G R A P H Y

B o o k s

B l e s s i n g t o n , C o u n t e s s of, A J o u r n a l of C o n v e r s a t i o n s w i t h L o r d B y r o n ;

B o s t o n , G. W. C o t t r e l l , 1859-

B o a s , R a l p h P . a n d B a r b a r a M. Hahn , S o c i a l B ^ k g r o u n d s of E n g l i s h L i t e r a t u r e , B o s t o n , L i t t l e , B r o w n , and C o m p a n y , 1926.

Boyd , E l i z a b e t h F . , B o r o n ' s " D o n J u a n " : _A C r i t i c a i St_m3h£, New ' B r u n s w i c k , " New JeTTey , R u t g e r s U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 194S.

. B y r o n , G e o r g e G o r d o n , L o r d , B y r o n : A S ^ - P o r t r a i t , e d i t e d oy P e t e , Q u e n n e l l (2 v o l u m e s ) , New Y o r k , H u m a n i t i e s P r e s s , 196. ' .

B y r o n , G e o r g e G o r d o n , L o r d , letters a n d J o u r n a l s , V o l s . IV, V, and VJ of The W o r k s of L o r d B y r o n , ed i t ed by R o w l a n d E . P r o t h e r o (13 v o l u m e s ) , New Y o r k , O c t a g o n B o o k s , I n c . , 1966.

B y r o n , G e o r g e G o r d o n , L o r d , P o e t r y , V o l s . II and VI of T h e ±0£kb of L o r d B y r o n , e d i t e d by E r n e s t H. C o l e r i d g e (13 v o l u m e s ) , New Y o r k , O c t a g o n B o o k s , Inc . , 19&6.

B y r o n , G e o r g e G o r d o n , L o r d , A V a r i o r u m E d i t i o n : C a n t o s I;XV_n, V o l s . II and III of B y r o n ' s " D o n J u a n , " e d i t e d by T r u m a n G.

S t e f f a n a n d "Willis W. P r a t t (4 v o l u m e s ) , A u s t i n , U n i v e r s i t y of

T e x a s P r e s s , 1957.

C a l v e r t , WilJiair* J . , B y r o n : R o m a n t i c P a r a d o x , C h a p e l Hi l l , T h e U n i v e r s i t y of N o r t h C a r o l i n a P r e s s , 1935.

C h a n c e l l o r , E„ B e r e s f o r d , Li£e iu R e g e n c y a n d E a r l y V i c t o r i a n T i m e s , L o n d o n , B. T. B a t s f o r d , .L td . , 1?29 .

F i r m e m o r e, John, Soc ia l L i f e HI Lticlancl, L o n d o n , A. & C. B l a c k , L to , , 1Q 5 6,

Goode , C l e m e n t T . , B y r o n a s C r i t i c , New Y o r k , H a s k e l l H o u s e , 1964.

«t;

56

H a g l e m a n , C h a r l e s W. and R o b e r t J . B a r n e s , A C o n c o r d a n c e to B y r o n ' s 'Don J u a n , " I t h a c a , ?,"ew York , C o r n e l l U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1967.

""O "* H I

M a r c h a n d , L e s l i e A. , B y r o n : A B i o g r a p h y (3 v o l u m e s ) , New York , A l f r e d A. Knopf , 1957.

M a r j a r u m , E d w a r d W. , B y r o n a s Skeot ic and B e l i e v e r , P r i n c e t o n , P r i n c e t o n U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1938.

P r a t t , Wi l l i s W. , Notes on the V a r i o r u m Ejditjori, Vol. IV of Byron* s "Don J u a n , M ed i t ed by T r u m a n G. S t e f f an and Wi l l i s W. P r a t t (4 v o l u m e s ) , A u s t i n , U n i v e r s i t y of T e x a s P r e s s . 1957.

R i d e n o u r , G e o r g e M. , The Style of 11 Don J u a n , " New H a v e n , Connec t i cu t . Ya le U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , I960 ,

. R u t h e r f o r d , A n d r e w , B y r o n : A Cr i t i ca l Study, S t a n f o r d , S t an fo rd U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1961.

S t e f f an , T r u m a n Guy. The Making of a Ma s t e r p i e c e , Vol . I of B y r o n ' s 11 Don Juan , !! e d i t e d by T r u m a n G. Steffctn and Wi l l i s W. P r a t t (4 v o l u m e s ) , Aus t i n , U n i v e r s i t y of T e x a s P r e s s , 1957.

T r e v e l y a n , G e o r g e M. , H i s t o r y of England, New Y o r k , L o n g m a n s , G r e e n and C o m p a n y , 1932.

T r u e b l o o d , P a u l G. , The F l o w e r i n g of B y r on? s G e n i u s , S t a n f o r d , S t a n f o r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 945.

Wes t , P a u l , e d i t o r , Bjjrron: A C o l l e c t i o n of C r i t i c a l E s s a y s , Englewood C l i f f s , New J e r s e y , P r e n t i c e - H a l l , I n c . , 1963.

Wi ldeb lood , Joan and P e t e r B r i n s o n , The P o l i t e W o r l d , London , O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1965.

Wi lk ie , B r i a n , Romant ic P o e t s and E j u c T r a d i t i o n , M a d i s o n , The U n i v e r s i t y of W i s c o n s i n P r e s s , 1965.

"Woodward, E. L, , The Ajje of R e f o r m : 1815-jU37£, Vol. XIII of The P . x f o r f l ™ s t o r Y of Eng land , ed i t ed by G. N .""c ia rk (14 volurnTs) , London, O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1934-38 .

87

A r t i c l e s

B r e d v o l d , L o u i s I. , " T h e N a t \ i . r a l i s m of Donne in R e l a t i o n to S o m e

R e n a i s s a n c e T r a d i t i o n s , " T h e J o u r n a l of FJngl lsh a n d G e r m a n i c P h i l o l o g y , XXII ( O c t o b e r , 1 92 3 )7" 47 1 - 502 .

" D o n J u a n , I - I I , " Th_e G e n t l e m a n ' s M a g a z i n e , L X X X I X ( A u g u s t , 1819) , 152." ""

G a r d n e r , H e l e n , " D o n J u a n , " T h e L o n d o n M a g a z i n e , V ( Ju ly , 1958) , 5 8 - 6 5 . " " " " ~V" "

M a c a u l a y , T h o m a s B. , " M o o r e ' s L i f e of L o r d B y r o n , " E d i n b u r g h R e v i e w , L I I I ( J u n e , 1831) , 5 4 4 - 5 7 2 . ' ~ ~

R i d e n o u r , G e o r g e M. , " T h e M o d e of B y r o n ' s Don J u a n , " P u b l i c a t i o n s of t h e M o d e r n L a n g u a g e A s s o c i a t i o n of A m e r i c a , LXXJX ( S e p t e m b e r , 1964)," 4 4 2 - 4 4 6 .