At seventeen he entered Cambridge University. Determined to overcome his physical handicap, Byron became a good rider, swimmer, boxer, and marksman. He enjoyed literature but cared little for other subjects. After graduation he embarked on a grand tour that supplied inspiration for many of his later works. Of the many poems in which Byron reveals details from his own experiences, Don Juan offers the most intimate look into the life of the artist.
             Canto I of Don Juan describes Juan's mother, Donna Inez as being a woman who look'd a lecture, each eye a sermon (Longman 577)." Donna Inez watched carefully over every detail of her son's education and Catherine Byron did the same for her son, attempting in her clumsy way to provide Byron with preparation for life as a member of the gentry. "Mrs. Byron became obsessed with making her son perfect and he in turn submitted stoically to various forms of torture (Grosskurth 29)." Although the description of Donna Inez is often interpreted as being directed at Byron's ex-wife, much of Inez's personality is similar to Catherine's. It is possible that Byron's opinion of women was formed by his exposure to these two and many of his female characters would bear their mark.
             In stanza 61 of Canto I Donna Julia is described with a mixture of affection and sarcasm. Bright with intelligence, and fair and smooth...her stature tall-I hate a dumpy woman (Longman 586)." Byron begins with a fairly conventional description of a pretty girl but ends the stanza with what seems to be a truly backhanded compliment.
             Donna Julia follows the pattern of the idealized heroine. She is portrayed to be pretty, gentle, sweet, the perfect and passive wife. When she interacts with Don Juan, however Donna Julia breaks out of the traditional role by being the older woman who is eager to educate young Juan in the ways of love. Byron thus reverses gender roles and with
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