The Fork of Genius: Kriger’s Deconstruction of Byron

Boris Kriger investigates the elusive nature of Lord Byron’s genius, questioning whether it stems from his biographical legend or his actual poetic text. By utilizing formal deconstruction methods, the author deconstructs Byron's life, his structured documents, and the acoustic layers of his verse to determine how his persona and poetry interact. The work closely examines key episodes from Byron's life—including his childhood in Aberdeen, his struggles with a deformed foot, and the scandalous destruction of his memoirs—to separate the man from the myth. Ultimately, the volume demonstrates how Byron brilliantly manipulated his own notoriety, turning the conflict between legend and text into the very engine of his literary art.