Biography

Part I:

George Gordon was born on January 22, 1788 in London as a son of John Byron and Catherine Gordon. When he was only 10, George inherited the estates and the name that which he is known as today, Lord Byron (“The Life of Lord Byron” 1). When he was nine, a maid made physical advances towards him, and a similar situation occurred when his mother’s suitor also made advances on him. The younger years of Lord Byron’s life were also marked with the manifestations of love towards Mary Duff and Margaret Parker, his distant cousins. These sexual experiences and fits of passionate love “shaped his paradoxical attitudes towards women” and influenced his writing later on in life (“The Life of Lord Byron” 1).

Even as he grew older, Lord Byron’s romances continued and sparked further inspiration for his works. When he attended Trinity College in Cambridge, he fell in love with John Edleston, “a choirboy at Trinity two years younger than he” (“Lord Byron (George Gordon)” 1). Furthermore, his affairs continued from Lady Caroline Lamb to even his half-sister, Augusta Leigh were reflected in his poems, showcasing the passionate love and exultation that his love life entailed (“The Life of Lord Byron 1).  Byron was open with his feelings and thoughts, so “there was no difference between the man and his writing” (“Lord Byron – Biography” 1).  Byron composed many pieces whilst in love, letting them be windows into his very emotions at the time.

Lord Byron also had preference towards orientalism. He boldly stated that he “used to hate [his] country” (“Lord Byron – Biography” 1). Through this inclination, many of his works had an oriental flare and style including The Giaour and The Bride of Abydos (“Lord Byron – Biography” 1).

The death of Lord Byron was only short after his election into the Greek committee of liberation in combat with the Turks (“Lord Byron – Biography” 1).  The Romantic writer died of a bad fever on April 19, 1824 in Greece (“Lord Byron – Biography” 1). The Greeks mourned his death and was seen as a hero to them. 

 Citations: 

"Lord Byron - Biography." Lord Byron. 19 Mar. 2013

<http://www.egs.edu/library/lord-byron/biography/>.

"Lord Byron (George Gordon)." : The Poetry Foundation. 19 Mar. 2013

<http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/lord-byron>.

"The Life of Lord Byron." The Life of George Noel Gordon, Lord Byron. 19 Mar. 2013

<http://englishhistory.net/byron/life.html>.

Part II:

Literary Movement/Time Period: Romantic Movement

Part III: 

Part IV:

Poet Links:

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/lord-byron

http://englishhistory.net/byron/life.html

http://www.online-literature.com/byron/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/byron_lord.shtml

http://www.internationalbyronsociety.org/

http://www.poemhunter.com/george-gordon-lord-byron/