Lord Byron part III

 Byron visited Malta and Greece, which was of interest to him since like most English upper class boys he had been schooled in the classics, learning Latin and Greek and studying their ancient cultures.   He  developed a  friendship with a young lad who may have become his lover…

He spent 2 years travelling and then returned to England in 1811, and his experiences brought him material for long dramatic poems….On his return he published Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, whose hero is like Byron, a young man sated and bored with his homeland, who seeks diversion in travelling and love affairs in foreign lands. Byron sympathised with the Greek people, and supported the cause of Greek independence… and he found the Ottoman Empire’s culture interesting as well, particularly since there was greater sympathy for homoerotic relationships.  He seems to have been sexually attracted to women but to have disliked them and preferred  male company. 

On the publication of the first Parts of Childe Harold, Byron as he put it, awoke to find himself famous.  The poem was a seminal one, exemplifying tee new Romanticism, the interest in the exoticism of foreign lands.  It had a great influence on future writers and painters. Byron had the entree to Regency society, due to his birth and his poem made him adored and lionised in the highest social circle.

He seemed rather bored with social events and concentrated on writing more poems, including the Bride of Abydos which had a Turkish theme.  He became involved in a very public love affair with the rather unstable socialite Lady Caroline Lamb.. who fell madly in love with him, and followed him about to parties, making scenes.  He grew bored with her and continued to have affairs with other women, and to live extravagantly, running up debts.

Byron’s mother had died in 1811 and he began to think of trying to find a wife, who might have some money and help with his financial problems.  He began to court an heiress, Annabella Milbanke, who was unusually intelligent and interested in mathematics.  Byron was attracted to her but his chief motive in thinking of marriage was probably to sort out money problems. He did not have a high opinion of women’s intelligence.

During his courtship of Annabella, he renewed contact with his half sister, Augusta Leigh who was the daughter of his fathers first marriage.  He and Augusta had not known each other well until this time  so they met almost as strangers.  It seemed that a mutual attraction flared up which may have led to an incestuous affair. The half brother and sister were certainly very close and fascinated with each other.  It didn’t bode well for Byron’s marriage. 

Within a short time of the marriage, it was obvious that it had been a mistake.  Byron was depressed and gloomy, he drank heavily and was so erratic that Annabella feared he was mad and began to fear for her life.   He insinuated to her that he had been having an affair with Augusta... and talked so wildly that she was afraid of him...