Lord+Byron

Lord Byron's poems and analysis.

//She Walks in Beauty// by Lord Byron (1814)

She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellowed to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less, Had half impaired the nameless grace Which waves in every raven tress, Or softly lightens o'er her face; Where thoughts serenely sweet express How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow, So soft, so calm, yet eloquent, The smiles that win, the tints that glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent!

 Lord Byron’s She Walks is Beauty is believed to be inspired by Byron’s cousin, Lady Wilmot Horton. The poem talks about a woman of an impressive beauty wearing a mourning dress with spangles which justifies the description throughout the poem. The first lines compare her beauty to the night which is usually related to darkness, evil and other negative images. This perception changes, however, once the speaker adds the stars (the spangles) to the description. This contrast between light and dark reunited in a single person not only contributes to set the idealizing and romantic mood of the poem, it also conveys that idea of the uniqueness of the beauty of the woman —the idea that she is beautiful inside and out—which is further explored in the following lines.

 The second stanza focuses on her face. Lights and shades give her a mysterious appearance that does not allow her to show completely that “nameless grace” (8) that extends to every single one of her hairs and her face. The light of her face which usually reflects her innocence, her purity and her sweetness is "half impaired" by the combination of shades and lights. On lines 13 through 15 the speaker continues with the physical description of the woman's facial features; however, the focus on the external switches at the end to concentrate on the goodness, the peaceful personality and the innocence of the woman to accomplish his portrayal of the perfect woman.

Juan Carlos Caravaca Bejarano

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This poem is evidence of Lord Byron's darker side, or his negative romantic side. It is a much darker and somber poem than "She Walks in Beauty", and is charged with elements of regret and longing that build up a much more depressing mood for its lines. ======

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In the first stanza, the words tears, broken-hearted, colder and sorrow are used to describe the aftermath of the separation of the two lovers. An array of painful feelings that overcome the persona. This is not a poem dedicated to exalt the beauty of someone, nor is it meant to declare the speaker's love for said woman; it rather declares the speaker's sorrow for having lost this beloved person. ======

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Their parting left the speaker with emotional scars that prevent him/her from going through everyday life, as suggested when tehe speaker says "The dew of the morning/sunk chill on my brow" (9-10), because this chill "felt like the warning/Of what [he/she] feel[s] now" (11-12). This sense of coldness may come from the way in which they separated, as it is alter mentioned in the poem that there was shame upon the person who separated from the speaker. ======

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Likewise, the persona and his/her beloved were together in secrecy, as stated when the speaker says "They know not I knew thee,/Who knew thee too well" (21-22), and later in, this sense of secrecy is reinforced by the clarifying initial line of the final stanza, which says "In secret we met-/In silence I grieve" (25-26); furthermore, line 26 also demonstrates how the persona's pain is even deeper, because the secrecy of this relationship prevents him/her from seeking consolation from others, becuase their relationship was secret and his/her beloved is now in shame, finally taking the sorrowful tone of the poem to its highest level. ======