Lord Byron
Early Life
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, commonly known as Lord Byron, was born on January 22, 1788, in London, England. He was the son of Catherine Gordon, a Scottish heiress, and Captain John "Mad Jack" Byron. Lord Byron's father squandered his wife's fortune and died in 1791, leaving the young Byron with a meager inheritance and a title.
Education
Byron received his early education at Aberdeen Grammar School, and in August 1801, he was sent to Harrow School, an independent boarding school in London. At Harrow, he excelled in swimming and boxing, but showed little interest in academic subjects. He later attended Trinity College, Cambridge, where he began to write poetry and accumulated significant debt.
Literary Career
Byron's first collection of poems, "Hours of Idleness", was published in 1807. The collection received mixed reviews, but it was his satirical response to the critics, "English Bards and Scotch Reviewers", that brought him his first taste of fame. In 1812, he published the first two cantos of "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage", a narrative poem that made him a celebrity in London literary circles.
Byron's most famous work, "Don Juan", is a satirical epic based on the legend of Don Juan. The poem, written in ottava rima, is noted for its narrative skill, wit, and insightful social commentary. It was published in installments between 1819 and 1824.
Personal Life
Byron's personal life was marked by numerous love affairs and scandals. In 1815, he married Annabella Milbanke, with whom he had a daughter, Ada Lovelace, who would later become a renowned mathematician and is credited with writing the world's first computer program. Byron's marriage to Milbanke ended in 1816 amidst allegations of his infidelity and incest with his half-sister, Augusta Leigh.
Exile and Death
In 1816, following the scandalous end of his marriage, Byron left England and never returned. He lived in Switzerland and Italy, continuing to write and involving himself in regional politics. In 1823, he traveled to Greece to support the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. He died in Missolonghi, Greece, on April 19, 1824, from a fever contracted while in Missolonghi.
Legacy
Lord Byron's poetry, characterized by its romanticism, wit, and social commentary, has had a lasting impact on literature. His flamboyant lifestyle and romantic image as the "mad, bad, and dangerous to know" poet have also contributed to his enduring fame. His influence can be seen in the works of many later poets, including the Pre-Raphaelites and the Decadents.
