I first heard of Lord Byron when traveling in Greece. I had studied Greek history for years but somehow never knew of this Englishman and hero of Greek independence in the 19th century.
Since then I've heard of Byron as a hero and as a literary giant, one of the great poets of the English language on par with Wordsworth, Poe and Pope.
What I didn't know were some of his other occupations: Adulterer, rapscallion, womanizer, lunatic, debtor and incestuous lover.
He lived a life of constant exploration in the literal and metaphorical sense. He explored the Mediterranean and Ottoman worlds in search of adventure. He explored English society for recognition and respectability. In the end his debauchery, dereliction and debt forced him into exile beyond English shores. He couldn't earn respectability - even as one of the world's greatest poets - because he was not respectable.
So he went back to the Mediterranean world, ultimately to his demise in Greece. I haven't finished the book so I don't yet know the details, but I can already see that his "heroism" - real or feigned - wasn't enough to save him or his reputation.
Wow, what a life. His biography reads like no novel I've ever read before. It was genuinely captivating, the definition of a page-turner. Although I'm disgusted by his behavior I'm also fascinated by his outrageous behavior and pursuit of adventure.
Which makes me think I need to read more about actual explorers and adventures. I've moved The Collected Works of Sir Richard Francis Burton up in my reading queue.
Onward.
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