Manfred

“Of that which is within me; read it there— / Ye know it, and I cannot utter it.” 

Byron’s drama begins with Manfred laying bare his sense of guilt. He bears that guilt personally, and deeply, believing his crimes are there for all to see (“read it there”). At the same time, he feels shame for his perceived wrongs, and throughout the entire play is unable to speak directly about them or say precisely what they are.

“I lean no more on Superhuman aid, / It hath no power upon the past.”

Manfred feels lost, unsure of where to turn to ease his torturous feelings. Throughout the drama, he rejects spiritual or religious solace, feeling it will fail him. Here, he complains that the supernatural or spiritual powers cannot erase the guilt he feels over his past relationship with Astarte. Yet Manfred also contradicts his own rejection of the superhuman/supernatural by invoking dark spirits to help him in his quest to overcome his shame.

“How beautiful is all this visible world!” 

Manfred is in many ways a stereotypical work of Romanticism, exemplifying some of its key themes, including an appreciation for the natural world. When Manfred spends time in nature, he appreciates his surroundings for their dramatic beauty. However, that beauty remains external, belonging to the “visible world,” rather than his inner or spiritual life, which is tortured. This exemplifies Romanticism’s theme of a separation between flawed humanity and the ideal purity of nature.