The Byronic in Austen's 'Persuasion' and 'Pride and prejudice'.

Abstract

Although Austen and Byron are often considered to be irreconcilable opposites, in this article I argue that Austen engaged closely with Byron's poetry and drew inspiration from some of his most popular poems. The first part of the article focuses on Romantic, and specifically Byronic, undercurrents in Persuasion. I subsequently concentrate on the Byronic characteristics of the hero in both Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice. The article examines the extent to which Austen interacted with, and was influenced by, Byron's poetry, with particular emphasis on the figure of the Byronic hero.