Don Juan · Theme
Love and Marriage
How Don Juan develops Love and Marriage.
The poem explores the tension between romantic love and the institution of marriage, often portraying marriage as a constraint or a 'sad, sour, sober beverage' compared to the passion of illicit love, as with Juan and Haidée.
Where it surfaces
- Canto II
Juan and Haidée's natural, solitary wedding contrasts with societal marriage, which Byron critiques as a bond of treachery and thanklessness.
- Canto III
Byron contrasts the passionate but illicit love of Juan and Haidée with the constraints of marriage, arguing that love and marriage rarely combine harmoniously.
- Canto IV
The chapter explores the intense, idealized love between Juan and Haidée, contrasting it with the possessive and destructive forces of family and society.
- Canto VI
Explores the complexities of love, passion, and polygamy, contrasting romantic ideals with the realities of the harem.