In her introduction to this brilliant and outrageous literary landmark, Anne Barton places Don Juan within the context of Byron's life and reading, and offers an interpretation of the poem which demonstrates its underlying coherence and artistic integrity, despite Byron's mischievous protestations to the contrary. A long chapter on the reception of the poem considers some of the attempts to imitate or continue it, using them to define what is fundamental to Byron's own handling of the Don Juan legend.