Manfred is a poem by the hands of Lord Byron and was published between 1816 to 1817. “Manfred” is a long dramatic poem.

What type is Manfred by Lord Byron?

This a gothic poem because you will be able to find many supernatural elements and images of the spirit, ghosts.

When it was published, people make this poem very popular because horror, supernatural machinery are all-time interesting.

Manfred by Lord Byron Themes

This dramatic poem has a theme that is built. Here, guilt is representing a big role in the whole drama.

Manfred is the protagonist of the dramatic poem who feels guilt and this guild made his all actions in the play.
Though the form of guilty never has been told by himself.

His works let the readers of his guilt. Throughout the poem, Manfred takes responsibility and goes further with it.
So, the theme takes an important role in the play.

And, the theme of love also can be found for Manfred’s beloved.

Humanism is also a theme that has been reflected in the character of Manfred. His words and actions can say that.

Manfred George Gordon Lord Byron Summary

The drama is of the hero, Manfred. The poem centres on his love for his beloved. Here, the protagonist becomes committed to the beloved and made crimes.

Later, the beloved dies and makes love alone. Then, Manfred becomes mad because of guilt, and after so long he also dies.

Manfred loves his beloved. For the first time, Lord Byron showed them full of greed. That is why he made several sins together. They both committed murder also.

Astarte is the name of his beloved with whom he made the crime. When Manfred was doing he never fell guilt for these sins.

Manfred lord Byron Text

But when Astarte died Manfred started thinking of his crimes and he wants to remove these actions from his past life.

“Sorrow is knowledge: they who know the most
Must mourn the deepest o’er the fatal truth…”

This segment is very much similar to Macbeth. Macbeth once felt the same for his crimes and he says,

“Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,
The armed rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger,
Take any shape but that,”

So, in the case of Manfred, the same thing happens. Manfred feels so guilty to his own and behaving like mad. Before these crimes, Manfred was a nobleman who was living in the Bernese Alps.

He was alone and still he is alone. The difference made when he feels his guilt. In the next segment, Manfred will be shown that he is inviting seven spirits using his magical power.

When they all appeared they asked the hero what he wants. Manfred tells them he wants to forget his past which is full of crimes.

Later, the spirits tell him that they can not be able to remove anything that has been already done. As they can not help Manfred by doing this they give advice to Manfred. Only death can remove all faults and crimes.

Manfred exclaims that he can not enjoy the beautiful life, can not take food because of his previous crimes.

Manfred Lord Byron Quotes

“Must Crimes be punish’d but by other crimes,
And greater criminals?”

As they can not help him, Manfred sends them back and feels sad that his crimes will always live with him forever.
Now he is thinking to end his life by throwing him out of the cliff but he can not do that.

Manfred Lord Byron Romanticism

A goat hunter saves him from committing suicide. Now he approaches the got hunter to know the guilt that he had made in the past. Later, he again calls a with of Alps and asks to send back the life of his beloved, Astarte.

Later he gets to know Astarte could not control her for her guilt and she killed herself. Manfred now becomes responsible for her beloved’s actions because they did altogether.

“I have not been thy dupe, nor
Am thy prey But was my own destroyer
and will be My own hereafter.”

Later the witch offers Manfred that she can put her beloved back if Manfred surrenders his life to the witch for the eternity.

Though Manfred never accepts. Later Astarte appears to and tells him that he is going to die soon for their crimes. And when she disappears Manfred thinks he will die as he left none to do in life.

Later, he calls a demon who can tell the solution and can answer where Manfred will leave his guilt. Then the demon takes his soul from his life. Manfred gives the soul and guilt.

Characters of Manfred

Manfred is the central character. Except him, Astarte, Manuel, Seven spirits, Witch of Alps, Herman, Goat hunter, Holy man, Demon takes important roles to the play.

Meaning of Manfred

The whole drama is talking about the guilt of the character Manfred. He had done many sins and later he feels sorrow for himself.

Here, Lord Byron wanted to explain a brief truth of life. People made crimes and later to remove them from life hem make more and more crimes. That provokes to die and gives the soul free from life.

Questions from the Readers

What does the name Manfred mean?

Manfred is a common German name that means ‘man of peace’.

Why is Manfred a Byronic hero?

Manfred is a Byronic hero because he fought with himself for justice.

When was Manfred written?

In the year 1816, Manfred was written.

What does it mean to be a Byronic hero?

The Byronic hero is the protagonist of the play who has done wrong in the past.