Lord Byron was born into a pretty posh family and he knows a thing or two about how to raise a spoiled child. He puts Don Juan in the same position early in Don Juan, saying that DJ is basically a little brat who gets everything he wants from his parents. Byron is quick to warn any would-be parents that they should avoid making the same mistakes and instead use good ol' fashioned discipline to bring up their children. This advice is pretty ironic, considering that Byron famously lived his life with very little discipline—or at least very little restraint.
Questions About Family
- Do you think Don Juan's parents do a bad job of raising him? Why or why not?
- Why does Don Juan's mother send him away from Spain? Is she doing the right thing? Why or why not?
- How does Don Juan try to find himself a new "family" after he leaves Spain? Who are some of the characters he comes to treat as family?
- Do you think the death of DJ's father has a major impact on DJ's personality? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
In Don Juan, we learn that the only way to be great is to leave your family behind. (Sorry, Mom and Pop.)
Actually, in Don Juan, Byron shows us that we're nothing without our families.