French Literature Reviews - 2026

Byron 1816
Comparative and World Literature

Byron 1816

Editions Otrante, 2016. EAN13: 9782955154472.

For both the world and Byron, 1816 was an exceptional year. It was a year of political exception, marked by ruthless reaction following Waterloo; of climate exception, with the disastrous aftermath of the distant Mount Tambora eruption; and of biographical exception in the poet’s life, defined by his separation from his wife, his departure into voluntary exile, the publication of his final "oriental" poems, and the creation of a groundbreaking new genre born from the combined turmoil of this pivotal year. In a rhythmic and vibrant language that preserves the poetic flavor of Byron's verse infinitely better than prose ever could, Danièle Sarrat offers a precise and lively translation of a wide selection of works written or published in 1816 by the great English Romantic poet.
(From the preface)

Bilingual edition, featuring new translations by Danièle Sarrat, *agrégée* in English, translator, and vice-president of the French Byron Society. Preface by Olivier Feignier. Includes various excerpts from correspondence in the appendix.

The Siege of Corinth, Parisina, Childe Harold III (extract), The Prisoner of Chillon, Darkness, The Dream, Stanzas to Augusta, Epistle to Augusta, A Fragment.
The Siege of Corinth, Parisina, Childe Harold III (extract), The Prisoner of Chillon, Darkness, The Dream, Stanzas to Augusta, Epistle to Augusta, A Fragment.

Limited edition of 150 numbered copies.

€30, shipping included.

The year 1816 remains a central moment in British Romanticism, shaped by political reaction after Waterloo and the dramatic climatic anomalies caused by the Tambora eruption. In this historical setting, Lord Byron produced various works amidst profound personal turmoil, including his separation and departure from England. This period saw the publication of major texts such as the third canto of Childe Harold, The Prisoner of Chillon, and visionary poems like Darkness. Such works reflect the specific pressures of the era and the broader evolution of Romantic literature and individualism.

This bilingual edition presents a selection of these writings alongside excerpts from correspondence, offering access to the poet's voice through verse translation by Danièle Sarrat. The volume includes texts such as The Siege of Corinth, Parisina, and poetry addressed to Augusta. Readers interested in Anglo-French literary relations, translation practices, and nineteenth-century poetry may find this limited edition relevant to their studies.