There is a Pleasure in the Pathless Woods
by Lord Byron

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods;
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more,
From these our interviews, in which I steal
From all I may be, or have been before,
To mingle with the Universe, and feel
What I can ne’er express, yet cannot all conceal.

Analysis: In this poem, Lord Byron is expressing his love of nature and how he loves to get away from society every once in a while. He is expressing his need and want to get back to his roots and connect with the world and universe away from technology, highways, and mankind. In the line “I love not man the less, but nature more,” he tells of his love for both nature and mankind, but in his mind mankind gets obnoxious, whereas nature cannot.

About the poet: Lord Byron was an English poet, born on January 22, 1788, into a family that was noble, but quickly losing their nobility. His father was named Captain “Mad Jack” Byron, and he married Catherine Gordon solely for her wealth. Lord Byron’s father died in 1791, leaving only George and his mother. George Byron was born with a disability where he could only walk on the balls of his feet, sort of like tiptoeing. Because of this he stuck with sports like swimming and horseback riding where his feet wouldn’t be an issue. At school he played cricket, appointing another boy to run for him. Many of his teachers have reported Lord Byron as a genius, but he was rarely interested in his schoolwork. However, he read constantly to quench his thirst for knowledge and appetite for information. When his Granduncle died in 1798, Lord Byron inherited the title and his estate. After 4 years at Harrow, he attended trinity college.