Beppo (poem)
Encyclopedia
Beppo is a poem by Lord Byron, written at Venice
in 1817
. Beppo marks Byron's first attempt at writing in the Italian ottava rima
metre which encouraged his inclination for satiric
digression. In this, it is the precursor to Byron's most famous, and generally considered his best, poem, Don Juan
.
, simply called the Count. But when the two of them attend the Venetian Carnival
, where she is duly admired for her beauty by all the men, she is closely observed by a Turk
, who turns out to be her missing husband. Beppo explains that he has been captured and enslaved, but was freed by a band of pirates that he joined. Now, with the money he made through his life of piracy, he has returned to be re-baptized
and reclaim his wife. Laura returns to Beppo, and he and the Count become 'friends'.
and Italian
morals, arguing that the English aversion to adultery
is mere hypocrisy
in light of the probably shocking, but more honest custom of the Cavalier Servente in Italy. Also, it seeks to show that, in comparison to Byron's Oriental Tales of 1813, this more lax attitude towards morals may be more beneficial to all participants.
The poem manifests a number of typical Byronic qualities: it is digressive in its structure, for example, and it takes satiric jabs at targets familiar to readers of Byron, such as literary woman and other poets (including Robert Southey
, who appears as "Botherby"). As he does in major poems like Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
and Don Juan
, Byron mixes fictional elements with elements of autobiography in Beppo.
Reputedly, Lady William Russell
was the inspiration for one whose bloom could, after dancing, dare the dawn.
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
in 1817
1817 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* February 28 — Lord Byron writes a letter to Thomas Moore and includes in it his poem, "So, we'll go no more a roving"...
. Beppo marks Byron's first attempt at writing in the Italian ottava rima
Ottava rima
Ottava rima is a rhyming stanza form of Italian origin. Originally used for long poems on heroic themes, it later came to be popular in the writing of mock-heroic works. Its earliest known use is in the writings of Giovanni Boccaccio....
metre which encouraged his inclination for satiric
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
digression. In this, it is the precursor to Byron's most famous, and generally considered his best, poem, Don Juan
Don Juan (Byron)
Don Juan is a satiric poem by Lord Byron, based on the legend of Don Juan, which Byron reverses, portraying Juan not as a womanizer but as someone easily seduced by women. It is a variation on the epic form. Byron himself called it an "Epic Satire"...
.
Narrative
The poem, called "A Venetian Story", tells the story of a Venetian Lady, Laura, whose husband Beppo (short for Giuseppe) has been lost at sea for the past three years. According to Venetian customs, and without shedding too many tears, she finally takes on a Cavalier ServenteCicisbeo
In 18th- and 19th-century Italy, the cicisbeo , or Cavalier Servente, was the professed gallant and lover of a married woman, who attended her at public entertainments, to church and other occasions and had privileged access to his mistress. The arrangement is comparable to the Spanish cortejo or...
, simply called the Count. But when the two of them attend the Venetian Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
, where she is duly admired for her beauty by all the men, she is closely observed by a Turk
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
, who turns out to be her missing husband. Beppo explains that he has been captured and enslaved, but was freed by a band of pirates that he joined. Now, with the money he made through his life of piracy, he has returned to be re-baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and reclaim his wife. Laura returns to Beppo, and he and the Count become 'friends'.
Analysis and allusions
The poem's main merit lies in its comparison of EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
morals, arguing that the English aversion to adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
is mere hypocrisy
Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy is the state of pretending to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that one does not actually have. Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a kind of lie....
in light of the probably shocking, but more honest custom of the Cavalier Servente in Italy. Also, it seeks to show that, in comparison to Byron's Oriental Tales of 1813, this more lax attitude towards morals may be more beneficial to all participants.
The poem manifests a number of typical Byronic qualities: it is digressive in its structure, for example, and it takes satiric jabs at targets familiar to readers of Byron, such as literary woman and other poets (including Robert Southey
Robert Southey
Robert Southey was an English poet of the Romantic school, one of the so-called "Lake Poets", and Poet Laureate for 30 years from 1813 to his death in 1843...
, who appears as "Botherby"). As he does in major poems like Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage is a lengthy narrative poem in four parts written by Lord Byron. It was published between 1812 and 1818 and is dedicated to "Ianthe". The poem describes the travels and reflections of a world-weary young man who, disillusioned with a life of pleasure and revelry, looks...
and Don Juan
Don Juan
Don Juan is a legendary, fictional libertine whose story has been told many times by many authors. El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra by Tirso de Molina is a play set in the fourteenth century that was published in Spain around 1630...
, Byron mixes fictional elements with elements of autobiography in Beppo.
Reputedly, Lady William Russell
Lady William Russell
Lady William Russell was the wife of Lord George William Russell and a notorious socialite.Elizabeth Anne was the only child of Captain the Hon. John Theophilus Rawdon , the brother of Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings. She married Russell on 21 June 1817...
was the inspiration for one whose bloom could, after dancing, dare the dawn.