How did Lord Byron change the traditional character of Don Juan in his poem?

In his epic poem Don Juan, Lord Byron significantly subverted the traditional depiction of the legendary Don Juan, who is historically characterized as a predatory and relentless seducer.12

Rather than portraying him as a master of manipulation, Byron transformed the character into an unsophisticated, innocent young man. In this version, Juan is often the one being pursued by women, to whom he delightedly succumbs. By positioning his protagonist as a relatively passive and naive figure, Byron established him as a "rational norm"—a neutral observer whose experiences allow the poet to satirize the absurdities, hypocrisies, and irrational social conventions of the world around him.1

Ultimately, the narrative serves as a vehicle for Byron’s witty social commentary, shifting the focus from the character's traditional reputation as a libertine to a broader critique of human vanity, political ambition, and societal pretenses.1