THE EPIC: Don Juan by Lord Byron

1. THE EPIC:Don Juanby Lord Byron DimitriDuplan Kylen Small Juliana Jones

2. Author Background • Born January 22, 1788 in London, UK • A Romanticist • In 1819, while in Venice, he wrote some of his famous works, including “Don Juan”. • Byron died on April 19, 1824 without finishing Canto 17 of “Don Juan”

3. Brief Overview • Satirical Epic • Don Juan, a 16 year old inexperienced though well learned boy • The poem spans vast setting: many countries, many years • Published 1819-1824 • Unfinished, Byron died in 1824 • In the poem, Byron criticizes English society

4. The Legend Of Don Juan • Known as the “seducer of Seville” • Made more than a THOUSAND sexual conquests • Qualities • Virility -  the quality of having strength, energy, and a strong sex drive; manliness. • Arrogant Courage • Sense of Humor SEXY

5. Our Character Don Juan (Byron) • Well learned in books and science • Ignorant of the opposite sex (especially have to do with sexual activity • Curious • Easily seduced “Juan was taught from out the best edition, Expurgated by learned men, who place Judiciously, from out the schoolboy’s vision” (Byron, 1819, Canto I – p. 16/78)

6. Themes • Love vs. Lust • “Juan much flatter’d by her love, or lust; The two are so mix’d with human dust” (Byron, 1819, Canto 2- p. 23/108) • Unfair World • Don Juan encounters countless perils and problems • Byron’s Commentary •  war, restraints on personal liberty and freedom of speech are some of the topics addressed in the poem

7. Structure • Written in OttavaRima • Each Stanza has eight lines • Rhyme scheme abababcc • 17 Cantos • Each Canto is like an episode of TV. They are connected but also have their own stories • Iambic Pentameter • 17 Cantos long, 16,000 lines. 17th Canto is 14 lines long • Each Canto is an individual episode

8. Canto I • The story starts with a background on Juan’s life. • Don Juan was born in Seville, Spain • Don Juan’s father, Don Jose, “was … of the careless kind, with no great love for learning” whereas his mother was a “learned woman” • Don Jose dies • Don Juan meets Donna Julia, a young girl married to a man twice her age • They have an affair but they are caught • Don Juan’s mother sends him away

9. Canto II • Juan board’s a ship bound for Italy. • After boarding, he quickly becomes sea sick • Then there is a storm which wrecks the ship and kills all but 39 sailors. • The sailors, who have escaped tragedy in a longboat, stay alive by turning to cannibalism • After several days, only Juan has survived and he climbs up the shore of the closest island • He is found by a girl named Haidee who nurses him to health • They fall in love

10. Canto III • After Lambro, Haidee’s father leaves for an excursion, Juan and Haidee are free to court in the open. • Receive word of Lambro’s death, mourn, then get married • They throw lavish parties • Lambro is not dead, comes back & secretly and schemes! • Byron gives commentary in the epic catalogue form about the Ottoman Empire’s control over Greece. Juan Juan Lambro

11. Canto IV • During Don Juan and Haidee’s “siesta”, Lambro sneaks into their room • Lambro calls twenty men to capture Juan • In an attempt to save Juan, Haidee topples over, bleeds out, and falls into a coma, which causes death • Juan is sold onto a slave ship headed for Constaninople

12. Canto V • Don Juan befriends a man named Johnson • They are both sold to Baba, a sultan’s servant • Juan is introduced to the beautiful sultana, Gulbeyaz, who attempts to seduce him! • Juan refuses to love her and this angers the sultana • The sultan enters the room and all eyes fall on Don Juan

13. Canto VI • There is no bed for Juan at the moment so he must share with Dudji, a 17 year old girl • When the sultana learns of this, she is infuriated • She demands that Baba kill them by tying them with rope and throwing them into the sea

14. Canto VII

15. Rant on philosophers • “By swift, by Machiavel, by Rochefoucault, By Fenelon, by Luther, and by Plato; By Tolotson, and Wesley, and Rousseau, Who knew this life was not worth a potato”

16. Canto VII • Does not describe how Juan escaped the Sultana • Now Juan, John Johnson & co. are involved in the Ismail war at Danube • Meets Souvaroff, who Byron calls Suvaroff “[Russians] names want nothing but- pronunciation” • Writes descriptively (gross-ly) about war: “Sliding knee-deep in lately frozen mud Now thaw’d into a marsh of human blood”

17. Canto VIII GO DON JUAN! • THE SIEGE OF ISMAIL • Turks surrender to the Russians, it’s brutal • Don Juan saves a little Turkish girl (Leila) from two of his own men • A man watches his five sons get murdered because he refuses to surrender • IN SUMMARY: War is horrible

18. Theme of War • It sucks. • Imagery “And thirty thousand muskets flung their pills Like hail to make a bloody diuretic.” (Byron, 1819, Canto VIII – 5/50)

19. Canto IX • Suvarrow choses Don Juan to bring news of the capture to empress • Empress Catherine in Petersberg is enamored with Juan • The feelings are mutual <3

20. Canto X • Juan writes to relatives about life in Russia • Falls ill, puzzles doctors. • Prescription: needs a change in life • Empress Catherine sends Juan out to England to work on negotiations

21. Canto XI • Strolling in London Juan is attacked by robber whom he shoots • Juan is the ish, he gets settled in and women want him, he’s rich, noble, and handsome • Attends many parties • “Don Juan was presented, and his dress and mien excited general admiration..Fair virgins blush’d upon him; wedded dames Bloom’d also in less transitory hues” Party on, old sport

22. Canto XII • Focuses on Juan’s companion Leila • Juan decides its best that Leila is taken under the wing of another figure • Lady Pinchbeck, an old, wise, reputable woman, becomes Leila’s new guardian • Juan appears somewhat tired of romance, and finds English women unattractive • “Love or lust makes man sick, and wine much sicker; Ambition rends, and gaming gains a loss; but, making money, slowly first, then quicker, and adding still a little through each cross”

23. Canto XIII • Juan has become quite friendly with an English couple, Lord and Lady Amundeville • It is foreshadowed that there is an affair • One September, couple invites guests, including Don Juan, to their summer home in Norman Abbey • “Now hatred is by far the longest pleasure; Men love in haste, but they detest at leisure”

24. Canto XIV • Is well-acquainted with English life • Proficient in hunting and dancing • Becomes the love interest of Duchess Fitz-Fulke, friend to Lady Adeline • Lady Adeline is conflicted about her marriage and emotions • Hinted that she has feelings for Don Juan • Author proclaims that an affair will develop between the two • “The Lady Adeline, right honorable; And honour’d ran a risk of growing less so; For few of the soft sex are very stable in their resolves”

25. Canto XV • The author provides in-depth characterization of Don Juan • Lady Adeline continues to struggle over her feelings for Don Juan • Decides that Don Juan should marry soon • Don Juan’s final love interest, Aurora Raby, is introduced • “No marvel then he was a favorite; A full-grown Cupid, very much admired; A little spoilt, but by no means so quite; At least he kept his vanity retired. Such was his tact, he could alike delight the chaste, and those who are not much so inspired”

26. Canto XVI • Divided into four section • 1st section involves an encounter with a ghost • 2nd section depicts a business day in the life of Lord Amundeville • 3rd section deals with a public day at the Amundevile residence • 4th section ends with a resolution of the supernatural encounter

27. Canto XVII • Final canto of the story • Author reflects upon the moral development of Don Juan • Ends on an ambiguous note • Author never specifies what occurred during the end of Canto XVI • Byron dies in 1824 before finishing his poem.

28. Epic Qualities That The Story Possesses • Begins with an invocation to a muse “ Most epic poets plunge ‘in medias res’ … My way is to begin with the beginning” • Story is vast, spanning across many nations “She had resolved that he should travel through All European climes, by land or sea” (Canto 1, 67/78) • Shows divine intervention in human affairs • Luck

29. Con’t Epic Qualities • Includes the use of epithets Don, Donna “Gentle Julia” (Byron, 1819, Canto I – p. 34/78) “Fair Haidee” (Byron, 1819, Canto II – p. 61/76) • Epic Catalouging • Canto III – Byron’s rant on 19th century politics

30. Epic Qualities That The Story Does Not Possess • Epic speech • Media res • “Most epic poets plunge in ‘in medias res’ … but not mine” • Epic adversary/adversaries • Hero that does not embody the values of his civilization

31. Don Juan as an Epic Hero? • Ehhhhhhhhh • He has his moments, like when he saves the Turkish girl, Leila and adopts her • However having affairs with married women hardly embodies civilizations values

32. He is a ROMANTIC Hero! • a character that  • rejects established norms and conventions • has been rejected by society • has the self as the center of his or her own existence

33. FIN!