Lord Byron achieved nothing in Missolonghi except his own suicide. But with this heroic act, he contributed to the liberation of Greece.
Harold Nicholson's masterful study rejects the romantic mythology that claims Byron traveled to Greece solely inspired by philhellenic enthusiasm and opts for presenting a complex and fascinating portrait of a man in emotional turmoil.
His exile in Italy had led him to a dead end. He longed to be restored in the eyes of the English and to contribute to a worthy cause. The independence of the Greeks shone in his consciousness like a personal opportunity to escape and at the same time to somehow return to his happier past.
However, in reality, this daring journey turned out to be nothing more than a succession of humiliating failures. He encountered every misfortune one could imagine: frontal political confrontation, disobedience from provincial Greeks, financial hardship, and lack of support from London.
Nevertheless, his physical courage and integrity never abandoned him, and he did not renounce his purpose, even when all hope had been dashed.
