"The corsair"

"The Corsair" (1814) has all the features typical of Byron's early romantic poems. Its composition is fragmentary, that is, it consists of .disconnected episodes, and the reader has to use his imagination in order to supply the parts of the narrative that the author has left out.

The struggle between Conrad, a pirate chief in the Aegean Indian Sea, and Seyd, the Turkish Pasha, motivates the plot of the poem, but the main interest lies in the character of Conrad. The English critic and historian Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800–1859) defined a hero of this type as "a man proud, moody, cynical, with defiance on his brow, and misery in his heart, a scorner of his kind, implacable in revenge, yet capable of deep and strong affection". Such is Conrad, a typical romantic hero, ready to revolt, but the final aim of his protest is vague. Other characters, including his beloved, the gentle Medora, and the fiery-tempered slave-girl Gulnare are touched upon slightly; but in the final count, they are needed mainly to stress some aspects of Conrad's complex and many-sided nature.

In describing Conrad, Byron puts forth a concept of human character popular among the Progressive Romanticists: at a time when human individuality was being obliterated by the bourgeois way of life, the romanticists saw great value in men whose souls were ruled by some strong passion, even a wicked one. The capacity to experience an intense emotion was looked upon as a means of protest against the hateful, everyday life. Such views later led to individualism in world literature.

Pushkin was the first to condemn this type of human character in his "Gypsies". "Hebrew Melodies", a collection of lyrical verses which appeared in 1815, confirmed Byron's popularity. One of the most beautiful poems of the cycle is.

In 1815 Byron married Miss Isabella Milbanke. She was a religious woman, cold and pedantic. It was an unlucky match.

Though Byron was fond of their only child Augusta d'Astal Ada and did not want to break up the family, separation was inevitable. The scandal around the divorce was enormous. Byron's enemies found their opportunity, and used it to the utmost against him. It goes without saying that the "immorality" he wag accused of was a pretext. The real cause of the feeling of ill-will towards the poet was his protest against oppression. He described his position in the following words; "I felt that if what was whispered and muttered and murmured was true, I was unfit for England; if false. England was unfit for me. Accordingly, on the 25th of April, 1816, he left England for what proved to be forever. Byron went to Switzerland. Here he made the acquaintance of Shelley, and the two poets became close friends.

While in Switzerland, Byron wrote the third canto of'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" (1816), "The Prisoner ofChillon"(1816), the dramatic poem "Manfred" (1817), and many lyrics. "The Prisoner of Chillon" describes the tragic fate of the Swiss revolutionary Bonni-vard, who spent many years of his life in prison together with his brothers.

In 1817 Byron left for Italy. He visited Venice, Ravenna, Pisa, and Genoa The political situation in Italy at this period (with its numerous petty states despotically governed) was such as to rouse his indignation. He longed to see the country one and undivided, in accordance with the aspirations of the Italian patriots. To act on this idea, the poet joined the secret organization of the Carbonari, engaged in the struggle against the Austrian oppressors.

The Italian period (1817–1823), influenced by revolutionary ideas, may be considered to be the summit of Byron's poetical career. Such works as "Beppo" (1818), a humorous poem in a Venetian getting, and his greatest work "Don Juan" (1819–1824) are me most realistic works written by the poet.

Though the action of "Don Juan" takes place at the close of the 18th century, it is easy enough to understand that the author depicts Europe in the 19th century and gives a broad panorama of contemporary life. There are two heroes in the poem: Don Juan and the poet himself who in his many digressions speaks to the reader, expressing his opinion on different political, social and cultural problems. The poem is remarkable not only for its satirical descriptions and realistic portrayal of life, but also for its revolutionary ideas.

The other notable works of the period are the fourth canto of "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" (1818); "The Prophecy of Dante" (1821), where, speaking in the person of the great Italian poet Dante. Byron calls upon the Italians to fight for their independence; and,, the dramas "Marino Faliero" (1820) and "Cain" (1821). During the same period he wrote his satirical masterpieces, "The Vision of Judgment"(1822)and "The Age of Bronze"(1823), devastating and crushing attacks on the reaction brought upon Europe by the Holy Alliance; these two poems form the peak of Byron's achievements in satire, a genre in which he was, perhaps, most powerful.

The defeat of the Carbonari uprising (1822) was a heavy blow to Byron. The war of Greece against the Turks, which had been going on for two years, attracted his attention. Byron longed for action, and went to Greece to take part in the struggle for national independence. Soon after his arrival he waa seized with fever and died at Missolonghi on the 18th of April, 1824, at the age of thirty-six. The Greeks desired that his remains should be buried in the country which he had loved not less than his ' own, and for which he had spent his life, but his friends wanted him to be buried in Westminster Abbey. However, this was refused by the English authorities, and the

Soet's body, already transported from Greece to England, was buried n the family vault near Newstead. The line "...whose dust was once all fire" from "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" might well have been used as an epitaph.

“CHILDE HAROLD'S PILGRIMAGE”

"Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" is a huge poem written in Spencer-ian stanza.' Byron himself speaks of it as the most thoughtful and the most comprehensive of his compositions.

As we have already mentioned, the poem was written during different periods of Byron's life. As a whole it makes rather difficult reading: its composition seems chaotic, there is no real "story" in it, the hero, Childe Harold, is very often absent from the pages of the poem, and in Canto IV practically vanishes. It is more a traveling diary of Byron himself than a continuous narrative concerning the hero. But all this was done by the author intentionally. Let's try to understand his aim. The hero of the poem is the first one of this type to appear in world literature. A young aristocrat, disappointed in life, satiated with pleasures, he goes traveling, and hopes to find happiness among people who are not spoiled by civilization.

Harold's character was understood by the poet's contemporaries, as he expressed their spirit of dissatisfaction,, their protest against existing reality, and their dreams of happiness.

At the time of the first appearance of the poem, many people believed that Byron's own character was presented in the person of Childe Harold, but the author denied it: he Justly considered himself to be an active fighter for freedom, while Harold was merely a passive onlooker. However, Harold's critical attitude towards English aristocratic society, his wanderings, personal observations and love for his native land reflect Byron's own feelings, views and experiences.

The first canto shows Portugal and Spain. Byron voices his surprise at the contrast between the splendor of the land, where "fruits of fragrance blush on every tree", and the poverty of the people.

In the Spanish scenes the poet shows the struggle of the people against Napoleon's invasion which the poet witnessed during his journey in Spain in 1809–1810. Byron sympathizes with the Spanish people who were fighting for their freedom and independence and blames the ruling classes, who betray the interests of the country. The second canto is devoted to Albania and Greece. Describing Harold's stay in Albania, Byron describes his own adventures in the country. He admires the Albanians for their kindness, generosity and hospitality. The poet praises the great men of the past, the well-known Albanian champion of liberty Scanderbeg, in particular.

The motif of disappointment is sounded with great force when Harold comeg to Greece. The miserable state of the Greek people who suffer under the yoke of the Turks arouses Byron's indignation and makes him recall die glorious past of "Fair Greece" and "the gallant spirit" of the "hopeless warriors" (Stanza 73) who gave up their lives for the freedom of the country.

Deep love for the Greeks and concern for their fate sound in the. poet's passionate appeal to the people, to rise in arms against the oppressors. The third canto begins and ends with the touching address of Byron to his daughter Ada, whom he was never destined to see again.

The political and biographical sketches which the third canto contains show greater maturity in the poet's outlook. While crossing Belgium, Harold visited the field of Waterloo, where the great battle had been fought less than a year before. The poet meditates on this historical event.

His attitude to Napoleon is complex. On the one hand, Byron" rightly considered him a tyrant, and a traitor to the French Revolution; on the other, he understood that the reactionary forces which defeated Napoleon brought much greater oppression to the nations of Europe. Moreover, Byron could not help admiring some traits of Napoleon's personality. "The Man of Destiny", as he was called, in Byron's opinion had certain points of resemblance to the demonic heroes the poet liked to depict in his romantic poems.

The beautiful scenery of Switzerland makes Byron recall the great French writers and philosophers, Rousseau and Voltaire, who used to live in Geneva, and whose progressive ideas prepared the way for the French Revolution.

The fourth canto, which has to do with Italy, is usually regarded as the finest. It describes people and events in ancient Italian history. Byron regrets the fall of the free states, their high culture and ail.

Byron calls Italy the "Mother of Arts" and admires the Italian people who have given the world such men as Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, and other titans of art, science and literature. He hopes that the former glory of the country can be taken as a pledge (promise) other future prosperity.

A great part of the fourth canto is dedicated to the theme of genius and immortality. Byron puts forth the idea that true glory is achieved by creative activity, and not by illustrious birth and power: thus Alphonsod Este, the once great Duke of Ferrara, is remembered only because he ill-treated and imprisoned the great poet Torquato Tasso, and it is the latter who has gained true immortality.

Byron exposes the reactionaries of the time and expresses his belief in the final victory of the Italian people in their struggle for liberty.

The merit of'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" is in its revolutionary spirit, in its broad critical survey of contemporary life and vivid pictures of nature, now peaceful and calm, now stormy and violent, that mirror the poet's own turbulent feelings.

The Ukrainian writer Anatoli Vinogradov called "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" a political geography in verse". The remark is to the point; for the poet lays before our eyes a vast panorama of different countries, and discourses on their social and political state. The poem which at first seems chaotic, is really constructed with great skill; its various episodes are joined by the outlook, experiences and impressions of Childe Harold, and because of that, inner unity is achieved. "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" is really a philosophical treatise on the nature of wars, and Byron leads us to the conclusion that only wars fought for national or social liberation can be called just and praiseworthy. And it is precisely this idea that, in the final count, heals Childe Harold of his grief and brings about the rebirth of his soul.