Frontmatter -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- FOREWORD -- TABLE OF CONTENTS -- I THE METAPHYSIC OF BYRON -- II MANFRED: THE "CLANKLESS CHAIN" -- II? MARINO FALIERO: AN ANATOMY OF CHAINS -- IV SARDANAPALUS: THE ORNAMENTS OF CHAINS -- V THE TWO FOSCARI: THE SILENCE OF CHAINS -- VI CAIN: "TO PRODUCE DESTRUCTION" -- VII HEAVEN AND EARTH: "THAT HORRID LAUGH" AN EPILOGUE -- VIII "OUR NAUTICAL EXISTENCE": THE RUDIMENTS OF A MYTH -- APPENDIX A WERNER: "GOTHIC LABYRINTHE" -- APPENDIX ? THE DEFORMED TRANSFORMED: A MONK FOR ALL TIMES