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The Prisoner of Chillon
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The Prisoner of Chillon

poem by Byron
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Article History

The Prisoner of Chillon, historical narrative poem in 14 stanzas by George Gordon, Lord Byron, published in 1816 in the volume The Prisoner of Chillon, and Other Poems. The poem concerns the political imprisonment of the 16th-century Swiss patriot François Bonivard in the dungeon of the château of Chillon on Lake Geneva. Bonivard is chained to a post next to his brothers, whom he watches die one by one. Byron’s verse tale, written as a dramatic monologue in a simple, direct style, is a moving indictment of tyranny and a hymn to liberty.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.