Byron

/ˈbaɪrən/ noun

Definition

a given name, often referring to Lord Byron, the Romantic poet

Etymology

from Old English 'at the cow sheds'

Kelly Says

Byron brings to mind brooding poets writing passionate verses by candlelight!

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Lord Byron dominated Romantic literary canon; his contemporary Claire Clairmont, Mary Shelley, and other women writers were canonically sidelined despite equal or greater innovation.

Inclusive Usage

When teaching Romanticism, pair Byron with female Romantic poets (Keats' peer sister, Hemans, Landon) to restore literary history.

Empowerment Note

Women Romantic poets (Felicia Hemans, Letitia Landon) rivaled Byron in popularity during their lifetimes but were erased by 20th-century canon formation.

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