George
Gordon Byron (1788-1824) member
of the House of Lords and considered the greatest English
poet of the Romantics, came to Ravenna in
1819, irresistibly attracted to the ancient "city of
sepulchres and silence", and especially from the irrepressible
desire to meet the seventeen year-old Teresa Gamba, briefly
encountered in Venice, wife to Count Guiccioli, ancient aristocrat
of Ravenna.
An overpowering love, fueled by the couple's differences and
intensely intertwined by their revolutionary political passion.
Byron, in fact, in Ravenna joins the "Carbonari"
sect, liberal republicans fighting for the Italy's independence,
against the Pope and against the Austrian occupation. In Ravenna,
Byron went on to live the two happiest years of his life,
comforted by his relationship with Teresa, and constantly
involved in secret reunions and conspiracies. His revolutionary
passion took him to Missolungi next where, chased away from
Ravenna, he went to fight the war of Greek independence.
On Google, one can find a splendid and very romantic image
of Byron donning Albanian garb.
|
