Uncovering Writing

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Fools are my theme, let satire be my song” (line 5). With that, Byron goes on to produce an amazing poetical attack of many contemporary writers. Byron created this work in response to the savage attack by the Edinburgh Review on his first published work of poetry, Hours of Idleness.

Holding up Alexander Pope, John Dryden, John Milton and Homer as the best examples, Byron rages against those whom he considers mediocre or worse. The recipients of his couplets include Robert Southey, William Wordsworth, Samuel T. Coleridge and Walter Scott. With respect to Scott, I think Byron more attacks his poetry, suggesting he keep to writing prose. Byron also aims his razor-sharp wit at many minor Romantic era writers. His rhymed takedowns are memorable, fierce and bold. I laughed out loud at times. When attacking Nathaniel Bloomfield, he writes

Him too the Mania, not the Muse, has seized Not inspiration, but a mind diseased."