23. Don Juan (canto IV)
Self reflexitivity
· Byron uses story of Don Juan as a starting point for his opinions, views. It is the narrators views and opinions presented in the poem.
· He makes obvious references to contemporary poets in order to criticise and ridicule them. Ridicules WW and Coleridge..
· PARODY
o -he imitates WW style and some of his themes,
o he considers wordsworth to be funny and intelligible. "Every poet should write his own poetics",
o Aristotle - author of principles in literature, according to which every single poet writes.
o Writing theoretical part: reference to a bottle of alcohol when attempting to do sth that no one has ever done, but when you’re sober it’s stupid.
o He wants to write POETIC COMMANDMENTS.
o He uses technical devices.-takes form from different texts and transforms them.
o He praises Milton, Deyden and Pope and wants to follow their rules. Follows classical poetry.
o Breaking with romantic idea-ridicules criticises romantic fashion. He contrasts his ideas with other poets’ ideas.
Epic Poem
· He refers himself to tradition of Epic Poem but doesn’t follow the rules.
· He wants to show how his poem can be placed and differ from other
· He doesn’t treat classical poetry seriously, he makes fun of epic.
· He speaks of what is required of an epic poem. CHRONOLOGY- he doesn’t start in medias res but earlier than we expect. He doesn’t move in time. Describes story chronologically. Sometimes makes digressions.
· Description of Nature is exhaust of material for some books(criticises Wordsworth)
· FIGHT: Mock heroic presentation. Suggest that there would be a fight but there is NONE.
· He suggests tha might include elements of Epic Poem later.
· HERO: not heroic at all, not brave, not escaping. LG: profound, lofty, sophisticated.
· HE uses rhymes instead of Blank Verse.
· TEXTUALITY: speaking of philosophical things, goddesses and then there’s reversal of mood.
· Byronic stanza:8 lines,5 beats each, rhyme:nab ab ab cc.
· Byron speaks directly to readers.
DJasRI
· Byron doesn’t treat him and his creation seriously.
· He uncovers for us his efforts.
· He reveals how much time he spent on a particular line.
· He is drunk while writing.
· Speaks of need to drink.
· He entertains the reader., he wants to have fun.
· He is conscious of himself, the process of creation and mechanisms connected with this process.
EPIC SATIRE combination of epic and satire. High sophisticated epic combined with low form is supposed to criticise and ridicule.
Ylayda