Concetti Chiave
- The Don Juan myth originated in Spain, beginning with Tirso de Molina's play, "El Burlador de Sevilla y Convidado de Piedra," featuring a libertine protagonist who defies social and religious norms.
- Lord Byron's "Don Juan" poem, written in "ottava rima," reimagines the legendary figure as a naive and kind young man, serving as a social satire of the early 19th century.
- Byron's Don Juan experiences a series of adventures, starting with a scandalous love affair in Seville that forces him to leave Spain.
- Throughout the poem, Don Juan faces various challenges, including being shipwrecked, sold into slavery, and navigating love affairs in Istanbul and the Russian court.
- The latter part of Byron's poem depicts Don Juan's adventures in England, where he becomes a reflection of Byron's own experiences and critiques of societal norms.
What are the origins of the Don Juan myth?
Don Juan” is a long comic-epic poem written in “ottava rima” (a 8 line rhrymed-stanza). It was written between 1819 and 1824. The author employs a classical language and style. The Don Juan myth had it origin in Spain. “El Burlador de Sevilla y Convidado de Piedra”, a play by Tirso de Molina, is one of the first literary works centered on Don Juan’s adventures. The main character, Don Juan Tenorio, is a seducer and a libertine man, which means that he doesn’t respect religion and social conventions. He teases the statue of an important dead man and invites it to dinner. The invitation is accepted: the statue appears during the dinner telling Don Juan he will soon fall into hell.
Byron and His Reinterpretation
In his comic-epic poem, Byron turns the Don Juan of the Spanish legend into a naïve, honest and kind young man who experiences extraordinary situations. So,“Don Juan” is a social satire: Byron wants to criticize the social and moral codes of his time.
In Seville, Don Juan and Donna Julia fall in love with each other. However, Donna Julia is married to an older man. Because of scandal, Don Juan has to leave Spain. He’s shipwrecked. He reached a Greek island where the beautiful daughter of a pirate looks after him. The pirate learns about their love affair and sends Don Juan to Istanbul, where he’s sold as a slave. After many adventures in Istanbul and then at the Russian court (where Catherine the Great falls in love with him) Don Juan arrives in England. The last part of the poem is about his English adventures and Don Juan represents Byron himself.
Domande da interrogazione
- What is the origin of the Don Juan myth?
- How does Byron reinterpret the character of Don Juan in his poem?
- What are some key adventures of Don Juan in Byron's poem?
The Don Juan myth originated in Spain, with one of the earliest literary works being "El Burlador de Sevilla y Convidado de Piedra" by Tirso de Molina. The character Don Juan Tenorio is depicted as a seducer and libertine who defies religious and social norms.
In his comic-epic poem, Byron reinterprets Don Juan as a naïve, honest, and kind young man, contrasting with the traditional depiction of a libertine. Byron uses this character to satirize the social and moral codes of his time.
In Byron's poem, Don Juan falls in love with Donna Julia in Seville, is shipwrecked and cared for by a pirate's daughter on a Greek island, is sold as a slave in Istanbul, and has adventures at the Russian court before arriving in England, where he represents Byron himself.
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