Bringing together recent work on Byron by leading British and American scholars and critics, this collection guides the reader through the different ways in which new literary theory has enriched readings of Byrons work, and shows how his poetry offers a rewarding focus for questions about the relationship between historical contexts and literary form in the Romantic period. Diverse and fresh perspectives on canonical texts such as <i>Don Juan, Childe Harolds Pilgrimage</i> and <i>Manfred</i> are included together with stimulating analyses of less well-known narrative poems, lyrics and dramas. A clearly structured introduction traces key developments in Byron criticism and locates the essays within wider debates in Romantic studies.