Don Juan

Lord Byron's unfinished comic epic in sixteen cantos, following the adventures of the young Spaniard Don Juan across Europe.

Start reading19 cantos, about 126,000 words

Famous lines

• And Coleridge too has lately taken wing,
  But like a hawk encumbered with his hood,
  Explaining metaphysics to the nation.
  I wish he would explain his explanation.

  DedicationIn context

  • Clever Jabs

• Christians have burnt each other, quite persuaded
  That all the Apostles would have done as they did.

  Canto the First (1 of 2)In context

  • Anti-Religion
  • Christianity

• Man’s love is of man’s life a thing apart,
  ’Tis woman’s whole existence

  Canto the First (2 of 2)In context

  • Love
  • Men
  • Women

• And if I laugh at any mortal thing,
  ’Tis that I may not weep

  Canto the FourthIn context

  • Laughter

• ’Tis strange,⁠—but true; for truth is always strange;
  Stranger than fiction; if it could be told,
  How much would novels gain by the exchange!

  Canto the FourteenthIn context

  • Truth & Lies

Contents

1. Dedication
2. Canto the First (1 of 2)
3. Canto the First (2 of 2)
4. Canto the Second (1 of 2)
5. Canto the Second (2 of 2)
6. Canto the Third
7. Canto the Fourth
8. Canto the Fifth
9. Canto the Sixth
10. Canto the Seventh
11. Canto the Eighth
12. Canto the Ninth
13. Canto the Tenth
14. Canto the Eleventh
15. Canto the Twelfth
16. Canto the Thirteenth
17. Canto the Fourteenth
18. Canto the Fifteenth
19. Canto the Sixteenth