Don Juan
Don Juan, published in installments between 1819 and 1824 and left unfinished at Byron's death, is his comic masterpiece. The legendary seducer becomes a passive, good-natured young Spaniard who is seduced in turn: by Donna Julia in Seville, by the pirate's daughter Haidée on a Greek island, by a sultana in the harem at Constantinople, by Catherine the Great after the siege of Ismail, and finally by the ladies of an English country house. The story is only an excuse. Byron's real subject is whatever crosses his mind, and the ottava rima stanzas carry digressions on war, poetry, hypocrisy, his critics and his own life, with rhymes that are jokes in themselves. Sixteen cantos and a fragment of a seventeenth survive. It is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, with the opening canto free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about Don Juan
Don Juan by Lord Byron can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read Don Juan online?
Yes. Don Juan opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is Don Juan free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of Don Juan is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is Don Juan in the public domain?
Yes. Don Juan by Lord Byron is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read Don Juan?
About 12 h 39 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is Don Juan?
Don Juan by Lord Byron is filed under "Poetry" in the Vinteuil library.
