In stanzas 4-6, Byron presents a discontented Harold, bored of his debauchery and ready for change. Harold is “shameless” and “given to revel and ungodly glee” additionally, he has undertaken “evil deeds” that haunt him with the threat of justice. Stanzas 2-3 describe Childe Harold’s character, finding him wanting in the better qualities of manhood. Byron also insists that, while based on real events, the poem is in no way to be taken as autobiographical.īefore undertaking the poem proper, Byron begins with the poem “To Ianthe,” an ode invoking his personal muse, whose beauty will inspire him to put pen to paper and recount the beauties of the lands in which Childe Harold travels.Ĭanto I begins with a more formal invocation of the Muse to inspire the poet to heights of poetic creativity. The Preface to Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, published along with the poem, explains Byron’s intent in writing the poem and offers a defense of Childe Harold’s seemingly un-chivalrous character despite his being a candidate for knighthood.
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