Lord Byron

Byron is one of those artists who are as well-known for their lifestyles as for their art. The hero of his great satire Don Juan was widely regarded as Byron's alter-ego.

Many of his heros shared characteristics that the term "Bryonic hero" has been coined to describe them. They were moody, melancholy, and misanthropic. Bryon was all these things, and led such a dissolute lifestyle that he was given the nickname, "Our satanic lord."

"She Walks In Beauty" 1555

Lady Wilmet Horton inspired the poem when she wore a black mourning dress with spangles.
Compares her to a clear night where stars are visible.
He prefers the night because the daylight is gaudy.
He considers her pure although her hair is black. Fair skin and hair were traditional signs of purity.
Last stanza: she’s at peace with everyone and is innocent and pure.

"When We Two Parted" 1556

Stanza 1 They had to leave each other for a while. She acted as though she was going to miss him, but her cold kiss should have warned him.

Stanza 2 He's been hearing rumors. "Light is thy fame" could mean she's not well-known, but that does not match the rest of the poem. It probably means she's famous for being light & flighty, that is, famous for running around on him.

"share in its shame" = He's the poor guy who couldn't keep her.

Stanza 3
People gossip to him about her because they don't know he loved her.

Stanza 4
He should move to Nashville & write country western songs.

"In secret we met" Perhaps she was married & they had to keep their relationship quiet. But if she'll fool around on her husband, she will on him too.

"Darkness" 1557

He dreamed about the end of the universe. He dreamed that the sun ceased to shine.

People prayed for light. Everything flammable, in both city & forest, was burned to keep them warm.

27 These fires are the funeral piles for the world.

37 @ 1st, people quit fighting. Then they fought savagely for what was left.

47 One dog was faithful & guarded his dead master until he died too.

55 The last 2 survivors are no Adam & Eve - they die together. Thus is the Genesis account reversed.

69 Again reversing Genesis - the earth returns to being "void." The earth was "without form, and void" (Genesis 1:2) until God brought order. Now the order reverts to chaos.

79 The moon has also expired. God had created the sun & the moon to light the day & the night. Now both are gone.

82 Darkness is all that's left at the end. God had said "let there be light" (Gen 1:3) to start the creative process. At the end, the light ceases and all that is left is the darkness.
"And darkness was upon the face of the deep" (Gen. 1:2).