Albanian Themes and Motifs in 
Byron’s Works
Eliot Karjagdiu, Osman Osmani
Faculty of Foreign Languages, AAB College, Prishtina, Kosovo
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8547-6242
eliot.karjagdiu1@gmail.com
Department of English Language and Literature, University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, 
Prishtina, Kosovo
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3255-1275
osman.osmani@uni-pr.edu
Byron was inspired to explore Albanian themes and motifs after his visit to 
Albania in 1809, as the landscapes, folklore and people of Albania left a lasting 
impression on him. Not only did he influence many Albanian writers, but he also 
drew inspiration from the Albanian environment, which he incorporated into 
his poetic verse. This paper uses qualitative and comparative literary methods 
to analyze the Albanian themes in some of Byron’s notable works, such as 
Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, The Bride of Abydos, The Giaour, The Siege of Corinth, 
Lara, Parisina and Don Juan. The analysis reveals that Byron’s poems glorify the 
enchanting nature of Albania, the Albanian character, the virtues of Albanian 
women, national costumes, folklore and historical figures such as Scanderbeg 
and Ali Pasha, etc. The conclusion is that Byron’s verses were a valuable source 
of inspiration for patriotic poets during the Albanian National Renaissance, as 
they exuded a sense of patriotism, heroism and poetic inspiration. Byron’s travels 
to Albanian lands and his interest in Albania and the Albanians, as well as 
his writings about them, greatly enhanced and promoted literary and cultural 
relations between Albania and England. Byron’s admiration for Albania and its 
people positioned him as a cherished friend, ally and supporter of the Albanian 
people, earning him great love and honor and making him the Albanians’ 
favorite and most popular poet.
Keywords: English literature / Byron / imagology / Albania / Albanian culture
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Introduction: Byron and Albanians
The exploration of Albanian themes and motifs in English litera-
ture begins with Geoffrey Chaucer and continues with the English 
Renaissance writers such as William Shakespeare, Christopher 
Marlowe, and Edmund Spenser, and then goes on in the period of 
English Neoclassicism with Thomas Whincop, William Howard, and 
George Lillo, who have written dramas on Scanderbeg. They culmi-
nated later in the nineteenth century in the works of great English 
Romantic and Victorian poets and writers, such as Percy B. Shelley, 
Mary W. Shelley, G. G. Byron, Benjamin Disraeli, Edward Lear, Lord 
Alfred Tennyson, Matthew Arnold, etc. Furthermore, various writers 
and researchers, such as Edith Durham, Stewart Mann, Ann Bridge, 
Charles Ewert, Dorothy Gilman, Loreta Chase, Katherine Neville, etc., 
have written works with Albanian themes and motifs even during the 
twentieth century.
However, it is true that G. G. Byron is the most distinguished and 
outstanding poet when it comes to writing about Albanian themes and 
motifs. This is due to his personal encounters, contacts, interactions, 
and engagements with Albanians, as well as his extensive readings on 
the matter. The echo of George Byron’s life and works reached small 
Albania, albeit a little late, due to its political, historical, economic, 
social, and cultural conditions. Byron himself was clearly influenced 
by the Albanians, what he expressed in his writings, both poetry and 
prose. But Byron also left many profound and unforgettable memories 
and traces in Albania. The Albanians transmitted this memory, passing 
it on from one generation to another until nowadays. These memo-
ries are so deep that there are some old Albanian men and women 
who still remember hearing their ancestors say that they saw Byron 
passing through certain places in Albania (Karagjozi 17). The works 
of George Byron about Albanians, mostly poetry and especially Childe 
Harold’s Pilgrimage, and his letters, from the time they were written 
until today, have always aroused the interest and curiosity of foreign 
poets, intellectuals, and scholars in many aspects. Byron was the first 
to spread the Albanian theme, which quickly stimulated the readers’ 
curiosity, sympathy, and desire to get to know this country and its 
people with special features. His work was read by the masses of differ-
ent people, and these readers not only liked it but were also influenced 
by it (Kadija 45). Robert Elsie maintains that “of all English writers to 
have introduced Scanderbeg and Albania to the English-speaking pub-
lic, none was more influential than Lord Byron (1788–1824). Byron 
Eliot Karjagdiu, Osman Osmani:     Albanian Themes and Motifs in Byron’s Works
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was fascinated by Albania and the Albanians during his travels in the 
Mediterranean and indeed began to learn the Albanian language” (Elsie 
40). Namely, around four hundred verses in Canto the Second of his 
Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage extensively delve into Albanian themes and 
motifs. Additionally, his Oriental poems like The Bride of Abydos, The 
Giaour, Lara, Parisina, and The Siege of Corinth, along with the mas-
terpiece Don Juan, skillfully explore Albanian nature, character, set-
tings, folklore, and historical figures like Ali Pasha and Scanderbeg. 
Moreover, Byron vividly and romantically portrays in his works the vir-
tues of Albanian women, magnificent national attire, and the richness of 
Albanian history and culture. Although articles and research papers in 
Albanian about Byron were written by distinguished Albanian scholars, 
such as Abdullah Karjagdiu, Afrim Karagjozi, Skender Luarasi, Rexhep 
Qosja, Refik Kadija, Nexhip Gami, Vittorio Gualtieri, Jup Kastrati, 
Dhimitër Shuteriqi, Klara Kodra, Andrea Varfi, and others, unfortu-
nately, very few research articles about Byron and Albanians were writ-
ten in English, and almost no papers were written in English about the 
Albanian themes and motifs in Byron’s poems and works. Therefore, 
this paper will attempt to conduct an analysis of his poems and works 
and an in-depth review of relevant scholarly articles, books, and critical 
essays that explore the impact of Albanian themes, motifs, characters, 
etc., in the works of G. G. Byron. To this end, we will emphasize 
qualitative methods and comparative literature methods. Newton P. 
Stallknecht and Horst Frenz provide a definition that best fits the aims 
of this paper: “Comparative literature often deals with the relationship 
between only two countries or two authors of different nationalities 
or one author and another country (e.g., Franco-German literary rela-
tions, Poe–Baudelaire, Italy in the works of Goethe)” (Stallknecht and 
Frenz 10). In this case, the paper deals with the relationship between 
Albanian and English literatures, that is, with Albanian themes and 
motifs in G. G. Byron’s works.
There are even indications that Byron has exerted influence on many 
Arbëresh poets (Albanian poets of Italy) and poets of the Albanian 
National Renaissance (Rilindja), such as Jeronim De Rada, Elena 
Gjika, Anastas Kullurioti, Faik Konica, Asdren, Luigj Gurakuqi, Ismail 
Kadare, Agim Shehu, and Dhori Qirjazi. However, this paper will only 
delve into Albanian themes and motifs in Byron’s poems, as we can 
talk about influence only when we can ascertain, on the basis of a com-
parison between two texts, that the qualities of one work have been 
inspired by the special character of the other (Brandt Corstius 185).
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Albanian themes and motifs in Byron’s Childe Harold’s 
Pilgrimage
According to Bernard Blackstone, Canto the Second is at the heart of 
Byron’s reflective or intuitive verse, distinguishing him from poets like 
Wordsworth, Coleridge, or Keats (Blackstone 19–25). The protago-
nist of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Childe Harold, is a sensitive and 
noble yet disillusioned young man. As he travels, he observes, admires, 
reflects, reminds, and advises oppressed people to reclaim their dig-
nity and glory. He embodies a romantic hero and an individualistic 
rebel who is disillusioned, desperate, melodramatic, prone to wander-
ing, homesick, and bored with life. D. W. Harding notes that Childe 
Harold, despite being an outcast, serves a crucial role in his society 
and is paradoxically more embedded in it than many poets of the time 
(Harding 42). The poem’s full title is Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage: A 
Romaunt, using “Childe” to represent a medieval term for a small 
owner or a knight. The term “romaunt” reflects a chivalric romance 
in verse. Byron created his hero, influenced by a modernized chivalric 
romance (Hergešić 254).
However, to this day, it still remains debatable: Is Harold really an 
entirely autobiographical hero? This presents one of the most intrigu-
ing aspects of Byron’s work overall. Considering the shared traits of 
young Byron and Harold, doubts about their connection diminish. 
Both grapple with a sense of hopelessness, gloomy sorrow, and bore-
dom with life. Byron’s love for nature corresponds to Harold’s admi-
ration for it, and both share discontent with England, a fondness for 
solitude, and a sense of remorse. The parallel travels, love for the arts, 
freedom, and beauty, as well as their shared activism for freedom, sug-
gest a strong connection. However, Byron himself sought to distance 
Childe Harold’s character from his own. Some scholars partially agree 
with Byron, proposing that Harold is not a direct reflection of Byron 
but an imagined hero embodying the author’s vision. In the midst of 
ongoing debates, certain critics such as Guy E. Smith firmly contend 
that Childe Harold undeniably symbolizes Byron himself (Smith 33), 
a viewpoint echoed by other academics in the discipline.
Biographers find the autobiographical element in a significant por-
tion of Byron’s works particularly captivating. According to Francis M. 
Doherty, there are three facets of Byron: the sharp and witty diarist, 
the popular yet cursed and misanthropic poet, and the genius satirist of 
his later poems, such as Don Juan (Doherty 6). When discussing Byron 
as a poet, one inevitably delves into his life, journeys, experiences, and 
Eliot Karjagdiu, Osman Osmani:     Albanian Themes and Motifs in Byron’s Works
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impressions. While for many poets, mixing their lives with their literary 
works can be risky, the poetic world usually stands as a separate entity 
from normal thinking or behavior (Knight 18). René Wellek, Austin 
Warren, and David Daiches argue that while biography may offer some 
insight into understanding literary works, it cannot alter critical assess-
ments (Wellek and Warren 71; Daiches 326).
According to Wellek and Warren, even for an objective poet, the 
distinction between a personal autobiographical statement and the use 
of the same motif in a work of art should not be overlooked. They 
argue that a work of art operates on a different plane, with a unique 
relationship to reality, compared to a memoir, diary, or letter (Wellek 
and Warren 71). Artists are influenced by compulsions, motivations, 
and creative inspiration, although inspiration is not a constant in artis-
tic creativity. Different writers have diverse approaches to this, and 
researchers and critics often have their own opinions, which may differ 
from the writers’ claims and explanations.
Byron’s approach to his own life in letters, notes, and conversations 
makes the biographical analysis of works like Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage 
and Oriental poems more accessible. Byron’s extensive documentation 
of his life, including reports, visits, and letters, intertwines seamlessly 
with his poetry, making it challenging to separate the two. Byron’s pref-
erence for drawing from real, personal experiences rather than excessive 
fiction contributes to this intertwining. In discussing Byron’s poetry, 
incorporating episodes and facts from his life poses no risk of deviation, 
as his life exists in a poetic dimension (Knight 18). Recognizing this 
interplay between his life and poetry enhances the greatness of Byron’s 
already esteemed literary works.
This assertion is most effectively demonstrated and substantiated by 
examining Canto the Second of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, especially 
the Byronic stanzas and verses dedicated to Albania and the Albanians. 
Comprising ninety-eight Spencerian stanzas, each with nine iam-
bic lines, the verses detailing Albania and its people commence from 
the thirty-seventh stanza. Before delving into Albania, Harold first 
describes its nature:
Dear Nature is the kindest mother still,
Though always changing, in her aspect mild;
From her bare bosom let me take my fill,
Her never-wean’d, though not her favour’d child.
Oh! she is fairest in her features wild. (26)
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Then, Harold turns to Albania, greeting it as the land of Iskander, of 
the brave men, and of the great battles:
Land of Albania! where Iskander rose,
Theme of the young, and beacon of the wise,
And he his namesake, whose oft-baffled foes
Shrunk from his deeds of chivalrous emprize;
Land of Albania! let me bend mine eyes
On thee, thou rugged nurse of savage men!
The cross descends, thy minarets arise,
And the pale crescent sparkles in the glen,
Through many a cypress grove within each city’s ken. (26)
Thus, when discussing Albania, Harold proudly references “Iskander,” 
the Turkish moniker for Alexander the Great (Leka i Madh), hailed as the 
“theme of the young and beacon of the wise.” He swiftly acknowledges 
Scanderbeg as the second Iskander, noting his retreat from chivalrous ex-
ploits. In such a resilient land inhabited by tough men, Harold embarks 
on his visit to explore magnificent places, enrich his life experiences, and 
delve into new customs, traditions, virtues, manners, emotions, passions, 
and worldviews. Subsequent stanzas find Harold reflecting on Greece’s 
historical past during his journey through the Cape of Leukas and the 
coasts of Greece, recalling figures like “Lesbia and her tomb” and “black 
Sappho,” a poetess who bestowed high orders and eternal life through 
her work. In this moment, Harold momentarily sets aside memories 
of harsh wars, particularly in Actium and Lepanto, despite harboring a 
general aversion to murderers and a penchant for mocking war heroes. 
Nonetheless, during his travels, Harold is paradoxically drawn into con-
templation and a sense of longing for the past. Continuing his expedi-
tion, Harold notes the dawn over Albania’s stern hills and observes the 
ominous rocks of Dark Suli, where highlanders’ deeds stand out amidst 
storms and roaming wolves. Undeterred by the dangers of an unknown 
shore, Harold finds solace in the captivating scenes that make the cease-
less toil of travel sweet. While exploring new places, Harold momentari-
ly sets aside contemplations of moral and religious issues. In the Orient, 
he expresses disdain for superstition and its various symbols, condemn-
ing the separation of gold from true worship. In the Ambracian Gulf, 
Harold recalls the ancient history of Greece, where Roman fleets clashed 
with those of the kings of Asia. Passing through Illyria’s vales, he boasts 
of possessing jewels surpassing even Tempe, and Parnassus pales in com-
parison to the coastal beauty. Journeying through Pindus and Acherusia’s 
lake, Harold proceeds to meet Albania’s chief, Ali Pasha Tepelena, a 
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ruthless ruler whose bloody sway over a turbulent and bold nation faces 
resistance from rebellious tribes like the Suliots. Ali Pasha employs force, 
cunning, and gold to subjugate those who dare oppose him. In the stan-
zas following the forty-seventh, Harold marvels at the enchanting land-
scapes, praising the Monastic Zitza with its harmonious blend of rock, 
river, forest, and mountain. He portrays the beauty of Chimera’s alps, 
where herds graze amid waving trees and flowing streams. Approaching 
Ioannina, hidden by hills, he passes Dodona, the forgotten oracle of the 
ancient Greeks. Expressing regret for the lost Thunderer’s shrine, Harold 
reflects on the impermanence of man and questions whether one should 
aspire to outlast marble or oak when all, including nations and worlds, 
succumb to fate. Reminding himself not to resist the destiny shared with 
the gods, he advises against futile resistance. Continuing his pilgrimage, 
Harold notices how the borders of Epirus are receding and the moun-
tains are lowering as he gazes at the setting sun beyond Tomerit, and he 
depicts it in a magnificent way:
The sun had sunk behind vast Tomerit,
And Laos wide and fierce came roaring by;
The shades of wonted night were gathering yet,
When, down the steep banks winding warily,
Childe Harold saw, like meteors in the sky,
The glittering minarets of Tepalen,
Whose walls o’erlook the stream; and drawing nigh,
He heard the busy hum of warrior-men
Swelling the breeze that sigh’d along the lengthening glen. (29)
Approaching Tepelena, Harold spots the imposing residence of the in-
fluential leader, boldly announcing his high status. The bustling activ-
ity in the court signifies active preparations for war. Amid the crowd 
of knights, servants, Moors, Turks, Tartars, and Albanians, Harold 
discerns the distinct presence of the Albanians, indicating their in-
volvement in the impending conflict: “The wild Albanian kirtled to 
his knee, / With shawl-girt head and ornamented gun, / And gold-
embroider’d garments, fair to see” (30).
Harold observes the proud Albanian presence in the area, specifically 
noting their devotion during Ramadan. He delves into the secluded 
lives of Albanian women, emphasizing their restricted movements but 
also finding contentment in their roles as mothers. Despite the warlike 
demeanor of Ali Pasha, Harold acknowledges his mild and gentle side. 
At the palace, where the pilgrim takes respite, he contemplates the sur-
roundings, the people, their attire, and the overall atmosphere.
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In the other stanzas (up to the stanza seventy-three), Childe Harold 
sings almost entirely about the Albanians. Of all the stanzas, the follow-
ing is the most popular among Albanians:
Fierce are Albania’s children, yet they lack
Not virtues, were those virtues more mature.
Where is the foe that ever saw their back?
Who can so well the toil of war endure?
Their native fastnesses not more secure
Than they in doubtful time of troublous need:
Their wrath how deadly! but their friendship sure,
When Gratitude or Valour bids them bleed,
Unshaken rushing on where’er their chief may lead. (31)
Harold admires the Albanians for their bravery, love of freedom, strict-
ness, loyalty, and honesty. While acknowledging their admirable quali-
ties, he expresses a desire for them to possess even more refined attri-
butes. Throughout his travels, Harold encounters Albanians frequently, 
and he recalls a specific encounter with them in Ali Pasha’s tower.
Childe Harold saw them in their chieftain’s tower
Thronging to war in splendour and success;
And after view’d them, when, within their power,
Himself awhile the victim of distress;
That saddening hour when bad men hotlier press:
But these did shelter him beneath their roof,
When less barbarians would have cheer’d him less,
And follow-countrymen have stood aloof—
In aught that tries the heart how few withstand the proof! (31)
Childe Harold describes the Albanians’ generous hospitality and em-
phasizes the virtues and kindness of their people, contrasting them 
with the indifference shown by his own compatriots towards those in 
need of shelter and protection. He notes that his fellow countrymen 
often distance themselves in such situations, leading Harold to con-
clude that very few can withstand the test of the heart, appreciating 
the sentiment expressed in the popular Albanian proverb: “A friend in 
need is a friend indeed.”
In another instance, Harold fondly remembers the Albanians’ gen-
erosity with reverence and longing. When a storm caused Harold’s 
boat to crash on the rocks of Suli, he and his companions feared 
potential harm from the local Albanians. To their surprise, the natives 
approached and rescued them. Despite initial apprehension due to the 
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fierce appearance of their rescuers, Harold and his companions soon 
realized they were not in danger of robbery or harm:
Vain fear! the Suliotes stretch’d the welcome hand,
Led them o’er rocks and past the dangerous swamp,
Kinder than polish’d slaves though not so bland,
And piled the hearth, and wrung their garments damp,
And fill’d the bowl, and trimm’d the cheerful lamp,
And spread their fare; though homely, all they had:
Such conduct bears Philanthropy’s rare stamp—
To rest the weary and to soothe the sad,
Doth lesson happier men, and shames at least the bad. (31)
Hence, Childe Harold developed a deep affection for these people, 
choosing to be constantly accompanied by a reliable group of these 
Albanian men. The Suliots near Utraikey astonished and captivated 
Harold, their friend and guest, with unforgettable moments of dinner, 
toasts, songs, and spirited dances. The rhythmic and powerful dances 
in particular left Harold enchanted:
On the smooth shore the night-fires brightly blazed,
The feast was done, the red wine circling fast,
And he that unawares had there ygaz’d
With gaping wonderment had stared aghast;
For ere nights midmost, stillest hour was past,
The native revels of the troop began;
Each Palikar his sabre from him cast,
And bounding hand in hand, man link’d to man,
Yelling their uncouth dirge, long daunced the kirtled clan. (32)
Childe Harold watched the Suliots with interest during the dance, for 
he liked the dances and songs he heard:
Childe Harold at a little distance stood
And view’d, but not displeased, the revelrie,
Nor hated harmless mirth, however rude:
In sooth, it was no vulgar sight to see
Their barbarous, yet their not indecent, glee;
And, as the flames along their faces gleam’d,
Their gestures nimble, dark eyes flashing free,
The long wild locks that to their girdles stream’d,
While thus in concert they this lay half sang, half scream’d. (32)
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Childe Harold listened to the Albanian song Tamburxhi, a clarion call 
celebrating the bravery, courage, enterprises, determination, invincible 
endurance, hatred towards the enemy, and loyalty to their incompa-
rable leader, Ali Pasha.
As evidenced, Canto the Second is dominated by Albanian themes 
and motifs. Namely, Byron shares beautiful verses about Albanians 
and Albania, reflecting his impressions and inspirations from travels, 
encounters with diverse people, and insights into customs, traditions, 
language, and folklore. The vast majority of these verses can be con-
nected to and even identified with Byron’s experiences in the villages 
of southern Albania and northern Greece. In other words, Harold 
often adheres to the itinerary of Byron’s wanderings, visits the same 
places in which Byron wrote his letters, paints, and reflects similar or 
even the same scenes and figures that Byron mentions in his letters or 
notes; nevertheless, the difference between Harold and Byron is strik-
ing. Although William A. Borst manages to identify and ascertain more 
than twenty autobiographical places in Canto the Second, mainly in 
the verses dedicated to Albanians (Borst 77–78), Harold and Byron, 
however, cannot be identified with each other completely. As follows 
are some of the differences between Byron and Childe Harold that 
we have encountered: While Byron, through letters and notes, appears 
to us as a young man who experiences everything he sees, hears, and 
witnesses as a boy from “flesh and blood,” Harold is a more idealized 
type, romantic and curious, who is aware that on the journey, he does 
not intend only to wander but also to commemorate, contemplate, 
appreciate, and glorify freedom, to yearn for the past, to be enchanted 
in the landscapes of the countries he visits, and to compare the race and 
psyche of people he meets with the race and psyche of his countrymen. 
Whereas Byron travels to broaden the horizons of life knowledge, to 
confirm his grasp of the Orient gained through reading, and to admire 
Ancient Hellas, Harold, for his part, lets us know from the get-go that 
he travels because he is dissatisfied with his homeland, because he is 
extremely interested and curious about the places he visits, and because 
he has a mission in life. Byron and his portrait appear to us without 
embellishments and distortions in Byron’s notes, with dramatic, melo-
dramatic, unexpected, pleasant, and unpleasant situations, with bizarre 
moments and honorable situations, with moments of pleasure and bit-
ter moments, while Harold, who subsumes in the poet’s vision, has the 
duty to observe, ponder, protest, lament, and grieve in the name of the 
high ideals of freedom, justice, humanity, and virtue.
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Albanian themes and motifs in The Bride of Abydos, The 
Giaour, The Siege of Corinth, Lara, Parisina and Don Juan
To Romantic poets, the Orient seemed like a new and fascinating 
world where one is not oppressed by the cursed bourgeois society and a 
place with landscapes, nature, qualities, and virtues that the Europeans 
of central and northern Europe, especially the English, lacked. Namely, 
a place with wonderful and colorful sights and scenes, with more pris-
tine, natural, and original life, less affected and spoiled by civilization, 
brilliant costumes and traditions, and even more humane and nobler 
people (Karjagdiu 24). According to Martin Stephen, “the concept of 
the Byronic hero is drawn from both heroes and narrators in Byron’s 
poetry. He is a morose, enigmatic, cultured, bitter figure, gloomy, 
outwardly devil-may-care, but full of dark secrets. All the controversy 
about Byron’s life, as well as sometimes obscuring an accurate picture 
of his poetry, has made some readers see the figure of the Byronic hero 
and Byron himself as one and the same thing” (Stephen 230).
Poems like The Giaour, The Bride of Abydos, The Corsair, Lara, The 
Siege of Corinth, and Parisina share common elements in content, char-
acters, and worldviews. These works are variations of a certain tale or 
story and the heroes embody qualities reminiscent of Byron’s idealized 
self. Moreover, certain characters possess Albanian features.
Therefore, the discussion of Albanian themes, motifs, characters, 
conflicts, etc., in Byron’s poems will focus on events, settings, and 
characters with Albanian characteristics. These poems narrate the tale 
of a romantic hero facing a similar plight: depression, demoralization, 
and a descent into evil due to uncontrollable events. Endowed with 
unmatched pride, courage, burning passions, and a broken heart, the 
heroes of these poems, often hindered by fate or ruthless adversaries, 
experience a thwarted love life.
However, the heroes and themes in Oriental poems portray 
and constitute an authentic Byronian Orient, dominated by a feu-
dal patriarchal climate. Contrary to a fantastical medieval fairy tale, 
the dramatic events unfold in the countries and tales of the Orient 
that Byron encountered in reality. These powerful tales of heroism 
and passion against exotic backdrops feature lonely, sad, and rebel-
lious heroes entangled in unfortunate circumstances, fights, disputes, 
and rivalries that eventually lead them toward the abyss (Mouni 11). 
Byron experts hold diverse views on the autobiographical dimension 
of the Oriental poems. Some believe that the protagonists embody 
different spiritual facets of Byron himself, while others assert that the 
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poems draw inspiration from oriental narratives prevalent during that 
period. Yet another faction acknowledges autobiographical elements 
but underscores the incorporation of Albanian cultural attributes in 
certain characters and settings.
Hence, to better understand the logical connection, a general com-
parison of the Byronic heroes in Oriental poems with essential Albanian 
features is paramount. Both groups, as portrayed by English and 
European writers, share distinct traits. Byronic heroes with Albanian 
characteristics are distinguished individuals within their societies. 
Loyalty is a common trait, with Byronic heroes typically portrayed as 
proud and poor, much like the Albanians. Both groups rebel against 
societal injustice, cannot tolerate tyranny or despotism, and seek 
revenge for insults. The shared qualities include honesty, a connection 
with nature, difficulty with controlling passions, and a commitment to 
freedom. Byronic heroes and Albanians both value their word, whether 
given as an oath or a promise of honor. The Byronic heroes’ features 
align with intelligence, nobility, and a cult of freedom and love, mir-
roring qualities found in Albanians such as hospitality, openness, and 
independence (Konitza 49). Thus, it is no wonder that the following 
question is posed: To what extent was Byron inspired by the qualities, 
characteristics, and features of the Albanians that he met?
Byron repeatedly emphasizes the profound impact of his initial 
journey to the Near East on his creative works, notably on the pas-
sages of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage and of Oriental poems. Expressing 
admiration for the Albanians, he acknowledged their influence on his 
literary works. The journey, spanning from fall 1809 to spring 1811, 
led to the creation of significant works like Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, 
The Giaour, The Bride of Abydos, The Corsair, Lara, and The Siege of 
Corinth. This experience not only ignited Byron’s artistic inspiration 
and imagination but also instilled a newfound appreciation for the 
Albanians’ resilience and dignity despite their challenges, difficulties 
and humble living conditions. Byron credited these people and land-
scapes for awakening his true poetic sentiment, a sentiment he shared 
in correspondence with Thomas Moore (Marchand 66–79).
To some extent, this corresponds to the opinion of Miodrag 
Šijaković who suggests that many, if not all, heroes in Byron’s early 
works retain qualities from the Albanians he encountered during his 
travels in the mountains (Šijaković 215–216). Simultaneously, it is 
essential to acknowledge that during this phase of his literary career, 
Byron endowed his heroes with qualities from both the Albanians he 
encountered and his idealized self (Lovell 135). In the Oriental poems, 
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37
these characters can be identified as “demonic” embodiments, reflec-
tions of revolutionary ideas of the era, and sometimes even as portraits 
of Byron himself.
To demonstrate the presence of Albanian themes, motifs, characters, 
conflicts, etc., in Byron’s poems, we have to examine a few examples.
In The Giaour, the action unfolds in the wild gorges of Parnassus, 
Greece. The protagonist, Giaour, falls in love with Leila, the wife of a 
Turk named Hassan. After Leila attempts to escape, Hassan, following 
the strict customs of the country, punishes her by putting her in a sack 
and throwing her into the sea. Hassan, driven by revenge, becomes 
an outlaw and leads a group of Albanian outlaws to capture Giaour. 
In a fierce battle, Giaour succeeds in killing Hassan but is haunted by 
a black shadow on his soul. Despite seeking peace through travels, he 
finds solace only in monastic life, where he confesses, reflects, and suf-
fers for the crime committed in the name of love (Marshall 40–41).
In The Giaour, the monk is referred to as “kaloje,” a term Byron used 
for Greek monks near Ioannina. The Zica monastery, which left a pro-
found impact on Byron, inspired the description of Hassan’s palace in 
the poem. In Childe Harold’s Piligrimage, Ali Pasha is depicted as a for-
midable leader of Albanian warriors, while in The Giaour Hassan is por-
trayed as their sworn enemy. Giaour, of Venetian origin, seeks revenge 
on Hassan and allies with the Albanians. He dresses in Albanian attire, 
highlighting his camaraderie with them. Giaour shares common traits 
with Albanians, such as pride, vengefulness, loyalty, fearlessness, and 
patience. Despite his Italian origin, Giaour’s life among the Albanians 
shapes his character, although he was more knowledgeable and cul-
tured than his counterparts. His participation in their fight against feu-
dal lords reflects his personal intentions and quest for revenge against 
Hasan’s heinous acts.
Albanians fiercely battled foreign feudal tyranny in their quest for 
freedom, engaging in instinctive, spontaneous, and epic warfare during 
Byron’s time. These conflicts involved ambushes, revengeful attacks, 
and incursions against despised vassals, drawing Byron’s interest. 
Byron likely found parallels with the guerrilla warfare he witnessed in 
Spain, seeing small groups as the most effective form of national lib-
eration war. The significance of brave fighters, their endurance, enthu-
siasm, and leadership qualities became evident in such conflicts. In 
The Giaour, the Albanians maintain their mountain peak due to their 
leader’s, Giaour’s, perceived bravery and unwavering commitment to 
revenge, as recognized by Byron: “Friends meet to part; love laughs at 
faith; / True foes, once met, are joined till death!” (258).
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38
Giaour avoids the traps and comes out victorious from the ambushes 
in the mountain only due to the honest, decisive, and unreserved sup-
port of his Albanians. In the verses of The Giaour the scene is described 
as follows:
The deathshot hissing from afar;
The shock, the shout, the groan of war,
Reverberate along that vale,
More suited to the shepherd’s tale:
Though few the numbers—theirs the strife
That neither spares nor speaks for life! (25)
The mountain scene in The Giaour becomes a crucial moment in 
Giaour’s life, mirroring the broader struggle of Albanians against 
Turkish feudalism. According to Šijaković, Byron drew inspiration 
for The Giaour from an event in Greece where a Turkish nobleman 
threw a woman into the sea for loving a Christian. Giaour, influ-
enced by this experience during his travels through Albania, becomes 
an outlaw, leads the group, and seeks revenge against the nobleman, 
Hassan. Šijaković contends that Giaour embodies Albanian qualities, 
particularly resembling Dervish Tahir, one of Byron’s companions. 
Byron’s diary mentions Tahir’s scandalous kidnapping incident in 
Athens, and Šijaković suggests that Giaour’s details reflect features 
of Tahir and Albanian landscapes. In essence, Giaour epitomizes 
Albanian qualities and traits in Byron’s Oriental poems (Šijaković 
215–216).
What about other Oriental poems of this period? With the excep-
tion of the detailed portrait of Ali Pasha in Childe Harold’s Piligrimage, 
Byron never depicted or described the Albanian Pasha directly in his 
poetry. However, he did that indirectly. Ali Pasha and his traits and 
features were the images from which Byron borrowed some of the most 
striking attributes of his oriental heroes (Borst 77–78).
The portrayal of Pasha and Giaffir in The Bride of Abydos as ruthless, 
cunning, fearless, and strict characters is likely inspired by Ali Pasha, as 
noted by Byron. In the poem, Byron points out the parallel between Ali 
Pasha’s actions in real life and Giaffir’s ruthless elimination of a rival. 
Byron, during his time in Albania, likely heard of Ali Pasha’s histori-
cal rival, interestingly named Giaffir (Borst 77–78). Byron borrowed 
this name for the victim in The Bride of Abydos creating an imaginative 
Pasha with the same name:
Eliot Karjagdiu, Osman Osmani:     Albanian Themes and Motifs in Byron’s Works
39
Begirt with many a gallant slave,
Apparell’d as becomes the brave,
Awaiting each his lord’s behest
To guide his steps, or guard his rest,
Old Giaffir sate in his Divan:
Deep thought was in his aged eye;
And though the face of Mussulman
Not oft betrays to standers by
The mind within, well skill’d to hide
All but unconquerable pride,
His pensive cheek and pondering brow
Did more than he wont avow. (264)
Harold Wiener asserts that Giaffir in The Bride of Abydos unmistakably 
represents Ali Pasha, depicting him as an aged, dignified evildoer with 
a heart devoid of mercy, skilled in cunning and intrigue. Wiener notes 
Ali Pasha’s historical actions, such as fighting against Paswan in Vidin 
and poisoning a rival in Sophia, comparing him with Giaffir’s ruthless 
character. The shared name with Ali’s victim adds to the association 
(Wiener 19). Additionally, Selimi, another character in the poem, is 
identified by Šijaković as having numerous Albanian traits, character-
ized by bravery, fearlessness, good manners, and self-confidence remi-
niscent of Albanian heroes met by Byron (Šijaković 215–216).
In The Corsair, some Byron scholars argue that Conrad also exhib-
its Albanian qualities, while Borst holds that Conrad reflects more of 
Byron’s traits than those of Ali Pasha (Borst 77–78). However, the 
romantic hero archetype, who rejects society, becomes an outlaw, and 
leads others, shares similarities with Ali Pasha. Conrad’s aura of terror is 
reminiscent of Ali Pasha’s influence, highlighting the contrast between 
external cold-bloodedness and internal turmoil within his soul:
But who that Chief? his name on every shore
Is famed and fear’d—they ask and know no more.
With these he mingles not but to command. (278)
What is that spell, that thus his lawless train
Confess and envy, yet oppose in vain?
What should it be, that thus their faith can bind?
The power of Thought—the magic of the Mind!
Link’d with success, assumed and kept with skill,
That moulds another’s weakness to its will;
Wields with their hands, but, still to these unknown,
Makes even their mightiest deeds appear his own. (280)
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40
According to Šijaković, even the character Lara in the poem of the 
same name possesses some qualities of Albanians. Šijaković suggests 
that Lara reflects many Albanian qualities, marking the end of the first 
phase of Byron’s career, where he celebrated true and noble love, evolv-
ing gradually into the character of Don Juan (Šijaković 215–216).
Borst suggests that Byron’s encounters with tales of Greek pirates, 
particularly Lambro, during his Oriental journey may have influenced 
the creation of The Corsair (Borst 77–78). Lambro, a corsair in Don 
Juan, shares a name with a character from The Corsair. John Galt insists 
that Ali Pasha serves as the inspiration for Lambro, emphasizing Ali 
Pasha’s flattery of Byron’s hands and references in Don Juan to Lambro 
and his daughter Haidee’s small hands (Galt 9). Some researchers 
believe that Byron, inspired by Albania, crafted a Lambro-like hero in 
Don Juan, resembling Ali Pasha as a prototype (Borst 77–78).
Don Juan emerges as Byron’s greatest anti-society satire, presenting 
a lengthy poem in eight-line stanzas. The narrative revolves around the 
legendary Don Juan, a character found in various European versions 
of the legend. Typically, Don Juan is a handsome, mischievous, and 
villainous hero who engages in wild adventures with daughters, woos 
young girls with charm, flattery, and cunning, and deceives married 
women. In Byron’s satire, Don Juan, despite his mother’s guidance, 
becomes entangled with Donna Julia, a young woman married to an 
older man named Don Alfonso. The poem explores Don Juan’s “suc-
cesses” in love and his attempts at moral improvement. Don Juan and 
Donna Julia indulge in prolonged moments of covert affair, but their 
affair is discovered when Don Alfonso, after initial doubts, catches the 
young rogue in his wife’s room. Before the scandal erupts, Don Juan’s 
mother advises him to escape and embark on a journey to improve his 
morals. He sets out on a pilgrimage to Cádiz, but his ship sinks, casting 
him onto an island in the Aegean Sea. There, the revived but half-dead 
Don Juan is discovered by Haidee, the young and beautiful daughter of 
the island’s chieftain and ruler. Haidee and her maid tend to and heal 
Don Juan in a cave. She is afraid that Don Juan will fall into the hands 
of her father, Lambros, who sells every slave that he captures. The idyl-
lic love between Haidee and Don Juan lasts a long time: “She came into 
the cave, but it was merely / To see her bird reposing in his nest” (680).
Following the news of Haidee’s father, Lambro, supposedly perish-
ing in a pirate attack, Haidee takes Don Juan to her father’s house. 
During a celebration, Lambro unexpectedly appears, capturing Don 
Juan and sending him onto a slave ship. Unaware of Haidee’s fate 
after giving birth to their child, Don Juan is sold on the Turkish slave 
Eliot Karjagdiu, Osman Osmani:     Albanian Themes and Motifs in Byron’s Works
41
market. Sultana, passing through the market, falls in love with him, 
purchases Don Juan, dresses him as a woman, and places him in the 
Sultan’s harem.
Initially oblivious to Sultana’s affections due to his lingering love for 
Haidee, Don Juan eventually engages in adventures with the dancers. 
Overcome with jealousy, Sultana orders him to be drowned in the sea. 
Don Juan escapes and joins the Russian army surrounding the Sultan’s 
palace, displaying bravery in battle. This earns him the honor of deliv-
ering victory news to Russian Empress, Catherine the Great, in Saint 
Petersburg, becoming her favorite. Later, he is sent on a diplomatic 
mission to England, where he becomes the object of high society’s ado-
ration. Despite the poet using Don Juan’s character to mock and sati-
rize the upper class of English society, Don Juan finds happiness in his 
homeland, surrounded by women ready for love adventures: “Society 
is now one polish’d horde, / Form’d of two mighty tribes, the Bores 
and Bored” (819).
Don Juan becomes weary of high-class women and tries to resist 
Duchess Fitz-Fulke’s advances. During this time, the legendary “Black 
Friar,” a figure associated with births, deaths, and marriages, visits Don 
Juan. Duchess Fitz-Fulke disguises herself as a ghost to visit him. Canto 
the Sixteenth concludes with Don Juan revealing the attractive duchess, 
and Canto the Seventeenth is left inconclusive as Byron grapples with 
how to conclude Don Juan’s story—whether to send him to hell or 
leave him in an unhappy marriage. Byron’s Don Juan embodies the leg-
endary character’s traits while also carrying freedom-loving, critical, and 
satirical ideas, expressing disdain for societal corruption, hypocrisy, and 
oppression. This cynical Don Juan mocks the ruling class and supports 
the oppressed, advocating for human dignity, freedom, and social jus-
tice. Additionally, Borst notes that Byron’s portrayal of Lambro in Don 
Juan combines qualities of both Lambro the Pirate and Ali Pasha, show-
casing Byron’s creative talent and humor (Borst 77–78). The following 
verses, however, also remind us of two main features of Ali Pasha:
Now in a person used to much command—
To bid men come, and go, and come again—
To see his orders done, too, out of hand—
Whether the word was death, or but the chain—
It may seem strange to find his manners bland;
Yet such things are, which I can not explain,
Though doubtless he who can command himself
Is good to govern—almost as a Guelf. (690)
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42
High and inscrutable the old man stood,
Calm in his voice, and calm within his eye—
Not always signs with him of calmest mood:
He look’d upon her, but gave no reply. (703)
He was a man of a strange temperament,
Of mild demeanour though of savage mood. (704)
Byron’s Oriental poems share common themes, motifs and structures, 
forming a cohesive narrative. The protagonists in these poems endure 
a life filled with unexpected challenges, escaping, abandoning family 
and homeland, facing societal stigma, and enduring abuse that com-
pels them to migrate, seek revenge, cleanse sins, and restore honor. 
According to Nexhip Gami, these heroes are egocentric insurgents, 
placing their ego at the center of the universe, reflecting the individual 
protest characteristic of Byron’s early literary career (Gami 30). Giaour, 
Conrad, Lara, and others lead solitary lives, shaped by a fierce conflict 
with society. Despite being wanderers, lost, homeless, or exiles, they 
experience violations of their honor, face, love, or rights. Disillusioned 
yet invincible, they harbor hatred towards those responsible for their 
misfortune, leading them to revolt, set traps, launch offensives, and 
engage in unequal battles against society or tyranny.
Byron’s encounter with Albania left an indelible mark on him, 
surpassing the influence of other countries he visited. He marveled at 
Albania’s untamed natural beauty and was captivated by the Albanian 
people, appreciating their distinctive character, passionate nature, and 
unwritten laws. Their virtues, such as bravery, loyalty, and love for free-
dom, deeply inspired Byron, shaping his concept of the romantic hero. 
Recognizing the honesty and fearlessness of the Albanians, he seam-
lessly integrated these qualities into his Oriental poems. Scholars assert 
that Albania’s impact on Byron exceeded that of Greece during his 
Levant journey, emphasizing the lasting impression the country and its 
people made on the poet.
Conclusion
The primary objective of this paper was to address the gap in English 
studies regarding Albanian themes, motifs and characters in Byron’s 
significant works, including Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, The Bride of 
Abydos, The Giaour, Lara, Parisina, The Siege of Corinth, and Don Juan.
Eliot Karjagdiu, Osman Osmani:     Albanian Themes and Motifs in Byron’s Works
43
The paper revealed that Albanian themes and motifs played a crucial 
role in Byron’s literary works, prominently featured in approximately 
four hundred lines of Canto the Second of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. 
This exploration extends to other Oriental poems like The Bride of 
Abydos, The Giaour, Lara, Parisina, and The Siege of Corinth, as well as 
Byron’s masterpiece, Don Juan. The paper also proved that the charac-
ters in Byron’s poems possess Albanian characteristics. Hence, it is obvi-
ous and clear that in the aforementioned poems and works in which 
he wrote about Albanian themes and motifs, Byron was impressed and 
enthused by the masculinity, honesty, hospitality, loyalty, magnificent 
nature, nobility, and humanity of the Albanians. Clearly, it can be 
affirmed that the Albanians as well as the Albanian lands had a real 
poetic dimension in his poems. Among them, Byron, as an impressed 
and talented poet, gained inspiration; he was moved and incited to the 
point that he transformed his inspiration into powerful verses about 
Albanian themes and motifs both in form and content, as well as high 
and noble messages. About Byron’s personality, his visit to Albania, 
his letters, and his poetry in which he mentioned and talked about 
Albanians, in all likelihood, there was interest both across the Atlantic, 
among the Arbëresh people in Italy, and among the representatives of 
the Albanian National Renaissance. Byron’s writings about Albanians 
likely played a role in introducing them to a wider European audi-
ence, potentially influencing Arbëresh poets (Albanian poets of Italy) 
and poets of the Albanian National Renaissance (Rilindja). That is why 
Byron has taken his rightful, significant, and special place in Albanian 
literature, tradition, history, and culture. However, unfortunately, in 
Albanian literature and culture, the interest in Byron started later than 
in the rest of Europe and somewhat after the interest shown about him 
by the neighboring peoples of the Balkans.
It emphasized the creation of a unique cult of Byronic popular-
ity in Albanian literature and culture, highlighting admiration for his 
principles and ideals rather than his purely poetic contributions. The 
tradition of Albanian literature and culture, more or less, still preserves 
and cultivates Byron’s fame as a great English and world poet, while 
Byron’s visit to Albania, his interest in and writing about Albania and 
Albanians, his style and ideas, along with other episodes in his life, 
are attracting and grabbing to this day the attention and interest of 
Albanians. Last but not least, Byron’s verses about Albania and the 
Albanians were a precious discovery and motivation for the patriotic 
poets of the Albanian National Renaissance, given that his poems were 
full of patriotic, heroic, and poetic pathos and inspiration. Therefore, 
PKn, letnik 47, št. 3, Ljubljana, november 2024
44
it is hoped that this paper will incite Albanian translators, literary crit-
ics, researchers, and scholars to continue translating, appreciating, and 
writing about Byron’s poems and other works and about his presence, 
reception, popularity, and influence in Albanian literature and cul-
ture, and in this way further contribute to strengthening and enriching 
Albanian-English literary and cultural connections, ties, and relations.
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Albanske teme in motivi v Byronovih delih
Ključne besede: angleška književnost / Byron / imagologija / Albanija / albanska 
kultura 
Byrona je k raziskovanju albanskih tem in motivov spodbudil obisk Albanije 
leta 1809, saj so albanske pokrajine, folklora in ljudje nanj naredili močan 
vtis. Ob tem ni vplival le na številne albanske avtorje in avtorice, ampak se 
je navdih, ki ga je črpal iz albanskega okolja, dodobra vsadil tudi v njegovo 
lastno poezijo. Članek s kvalitativno in primerjalno literarno metodo obrav-
nava albanske teme v nekaterih znamenitih Byronovih delih, kot so Romanje 
grofiča Harolda, Nevesta iz Abidosa, Giaour, Obleganje Korinta, Lara, Parizina 
in Don Juan. Analiza razkriva, da Byron v svojih pesmih slavi očarljivo naravo 
Albanije, albanski značaj, vrline albanskih žensk, narodne noše, folkloro in 
zgodovinske osebnosti, kot so Skenderbeg, Ali Paša in drugi. Poleg tega članek 
pokaže, da so bila patriotska čustva in junaštvo v Byronovih verzih dragocen 
navdih za marsikaterega domoljubnega pesnika v času albanskega narodnega 
preporoda. Byronova potovanja po albanskih deželah ter njegovo zanimanje in 
pisanje o Albaniji in Albancih so pomembno okrepili in utrdili albansko-angle-
ške literarne vezi in kulturne odnose. Zaradi odkritega občudovanja Albanije si 
je Byron kot njen prijatelj, zaveznik in podpornik pridobil neizmerno naklo-
njenost albanskega ljudstva ter postal najbolj priljubljen pesnik med Albanci.
1.01 Izvirni znanstveni članek / Original scientific article
UDK 821.111.091Byron
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/pkn.v47.i3.02