Review of the poem "Written after Swimming from Sestos to Abydos" by George Gordon, Lord Byron.

I would like to do a review of the poem entitled "Written after Swimming from Sestos to Abydos" by George Gordon, Lord Byron. The speaker who I would assume to be the author is apparently an English Lord. At the time of the writing of this poem, Lord Byron who was born in 1788 was 24 years old. He was also apparently a young man ( he died young at the age of 36), who seems to have enjoyed adventure as the poem revolves around an account of his effort to swim across the strait of Hellespont which was a feat that is also credited to a character in Greek mythology named Leander.
The speaker appers to be reliable. He seems to understand ancient Greek mythology in his account of the exploits of Leander who customarily crossed the Hellespont from Abydos in Greek to Sestos in Asia minor to visit his sweetheart Hero. The difference with the speaker is that the lead character in this poem is reported to have crossed from Sestos to Abydos for shear vanity. The two crossings are similar in location but different in motives and outcomes.
The audience that this poem is directed to is general. The account is a comparism and contrast between the endeavours of the mythological Leander and the speaker. Leander who swam accross the Hellespont in the wintery month of December to visit the fair Hero unfortunately drowned on one of his attempts. The Speaker who swam across the Hellespont in May was successful, but developed a fever with chills.
The diction used in the poem can be described as both casual and elevated with more of a scew towards elevated. I would call it a mix. An example of this can be seen in the following verses at the beginning of the poem:
If, in the month of dark December
Leander, who was nightly wont
(What maid will not the tale remember?)
To cross thy stream, broad Hellesoont!
The word choice used in the poem was reletively clear and good, meaning could be easily deciphered and there are no unecessary repetitions. The tone of the poem is slightly rhetorical slightly admonition. There is some emotional distance that can be seen from the following verses:
For me, degenerate modern wretch,
Though in the genial month of May,
My dripping limbs I finally stretch,
And think I've done a feat today.
The language is moderately intense and I found that I needed to do a second reading to get the full import of the poem.