Final answer:
Byron's statement on pleasure and sin in 'Don Juan' reflects the complex relationship between pleasure and morality, an aspect of hedonism explored by many writers and philosophers. The theme focuses on the conflict between personal gratification through pleasure and the societal or moral constraints that deem such pleasures as sinful.
Step-by-step explanation:
The line from Don Juan where Byron says, "it is a pity that pleasure is a sin and sin is pleasurable," touches on a recurring theme within literature about the nature of hedonism and how it relates to human morality. This concept has been explored by various authors and philosophers throughout history, such as Petronius in Satyricon, Seneca the Younger, and in the Eastern philosophies discussed by Confucius. The quotation embodies the complex relationship between pleasure, pain, moral constraints, and societal expectations.
Hedonism, defined as the philosophical approach that presumes pleasure is the highest good and pain is the worst evil, is often juxtaposed with the moral frameworks that seek to govern human behavior. This can be seen not only in works of literature but also in philosophical treatises like those of Mill, who argues about the qualities of pleasures and their worth. Byron's lamentation of sin's pleasure and pleasure's sinfulness encapsulates this debate by highlighting the inherent tension between what brings us joy and how it is perceived under moral scrutiny.