Byron (Lord)

Lord George Byron is one of the most colorful figures in literature, personifying the Romantic movement in his life as well as in his multi-faceted writings. The shortness of his life and his dramatic death -- he is still revered as a near martyr in Greece -- further enhance his stature, and the term "Byronic hero" is as vital a reference today as it was during his lifetime. No surprise, then, that both his writing and his life have inspired countless composers to this day.