Critique of Don Juan Canto I by Byron - Essay Example

People who think like this don’t know why/ They strain their mind wondering about how the sky works;/You may think it is a desire for understanding the universe (philosophy)/However, I think it was puberty that helped lead to this thinking.

He closely examined the nature of leaves and flowers (that is nature)/And he would try to find meaning in the wind, and then/He fantasized about wood nymphs and tree spirits,/And the nature of man and woman (goddesses coming down to man)/By doing this he lost all track of time/ And when he eventually looked at his watch/He realized how much time he had lost/And discovered that he had missed dinner.

It was one day in summer – that is the sixth of June/I prefer to be exact with dates,/I don’t just like to not the month and year, but also the day;/ They (dates) are a type of mail-house where destiny/Changes its direction and causes history to change,/Then speed their way over countries and states,/ Leaving us with nothing but history/time,/Excepting religion.

It was on the sixth of June, the exact time was around/Half past six-or maybe it was closer to seven o’clock/When Julia dwelt in as pretty a place/ As was possible in that pagan heaven/That was described by Mahomet (the prophet) and Anacreon Moore,/These had been given symbols of victory,/ With trophies and victorious music--/He won them well, and may he remain triumphant!/

She wasn’t alone; I don’t know/How this conversation took place,/ And even if I did know I wouldn’t say—/People shouldn’t gossip in any case;/ No matter how or why this affair happened,/But there they were, Julia and Juan – together—/When two meet like this it would be best,/ Although it would be difficult to shut their eyes (this verse is saying that it would have been better for them to avoid lust by closing their eyes).