"What, after all, are all things -- but a show?": Byron and the Legacy of Literary Celebrity

Abstract

This article follows the ascension of Lord Byron, widely regarded as the first living literary celebrity. The process by which this status was constructed shall be documented and analyzed, as well as Byron's cultural legacy. The practices of fan culture during the nineteenth century in response to Byron are analyzed alongside contemporary fan practices. The phenomenon of Byromania and the Byronic are examined alongside the evolution of literary celebrity into its modern form, tracing back to Byron's initial efforts.