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Byron's Poetry: Romanticising Nations, Romanticising Individuals – Guided Tour

English poet Lord Byron, described by contemporaries as ‘speaking like Homer and fighting like Achilles’, served revolutionary Greece as both a poet and a soldier. Join us in this tour of The Spirit of Byron exhibition to explore the Greek War of Independence through Byron’s poetic works. Get to know Byron and his poetry, synonymous with the Romantic Movement, and how his works served as an international voice, promoting the need for Greece to liberate itself from Ottoman control.


This tour will feature poetry readings from Byron's famous works such as Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Don Juan and the Isles of Greece, as we explore how the places, actions and people of the Greek War of Independence feature in his works. The tour will also offer insight into the development of the ‘Byronic Hero’ as an enduring literary figure, the structure of Byron's poetry and his use of poetic forms like Spenserian Stanzas and heroic couplets to evoke the Greek plight for freedom. The tour will also compare Byron’s work to the patriotic poetry written by Greek writers at the time.

Duration

Capacity

Cost

50 minutes

25 people (min. charge 8 people)

$17pp general
$15pp concession/students
Teachers accompany free

Suitable for

This tour is suitable for secondary students studying English (Years 7–10), English Literature (VCE) and/or Modern History (Years 9–VCE). It has the following curriculum/study design links.


  • Greek Schools
    This is an excellent workshop to engage Secondary school level students learning Greek with the history and significance of the Greek War of Independence.


  • Victorian Curriculum F–10
    Learning Area: History
    This tour is suitable for year 9 and 10 History students studying the making of the modern world from 1750–1918 and looking at the dynamics of nationalism and imperialism at this time.

    Learning Area: English
    This tour is suitable for year 7–10 English students exploring themes of human experience and cultural significance in texts, and analysing the contexts and historical genres of texts.


  • VCE Literature – Study Design Links
    This tour is excellent for engaging students in an immersive exploration of Lord Byron's poetic works in the context of the Greek War of Independence, and the enduring influence of Byron's work on other writers and artforms during the Romantic Movement.
    Unit 1: Area of Study 1: Reading practices; Area of Study 2: Exploration of literary movements and genres
    Unit 2: Area of Study 2: The Text in its context
    Unit 3: Area of Study 2: Developing interpretations
    Unit 4: Area of Study 2: Close analysis of texts

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