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Corsair (Penguin Classics: Poetry First)

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Lady Lamb called Lord Byron "Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know" which can also apply to Conrad, the pirate and the protagonist, in THE CORSAIR. Conrad, like Byron himself, is an example of the Byronic Hero, i.e., handsome, moody, self-reflecting, a loner and self-destructive.

Basically it's the story of a pirate captain who will risk everything, including his own life, to save a slave from a Turkish harem. This edition of the poem including afterword, etc., is only 76 pages long but you will want to read it again and again. Although Byron's life now is more well known than his poetry, don't miss reading his beautiful poems. This one is simple and easy to follow and you will want to follow Conrad to the end to see what happens.

The work itself is written in three cantos and we begin on a pirate island with Conrad and his wife. We know the plan is to attack a Sultan to get his riches... I don't want to give too much away but what happens once the pirates attack moves quickly and will keep you on the edge of your seat. A beautiful and well written poem everyone can enjoy. Byron was a great creative artist and you won't want to miss his poetry.