8/2/2019 She Walks in Beauty Essay

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SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY

Lord Byron was born on 22 January, 1788 in London and died in 19 April 1824 in

Missolonghi, Greece. He was among the most famous of the English Romantic poets; his

contemporaries included Percy Shelley and John Keats. He was also a satirist whose poetryand personality captured the imagination of Europe. His major works include Childe

Harolds Pilgrimage (1802-1818) and Don Juan (1819-1824). He died of fever and

exposure while engaged in the Greek struggle for independence.

He wrote SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY in 1814 and published in 1815 in HEBREW

MELODIES. It is said that the poem was written about Mrs. Wilmot, Byrons cousin.

Several months before author met and married his first wife, Anna Milbanke, Lord Byronattended a party at Lady Sitwells, and Byron met his cousin, the beautiful Mrs. Wilmot,

and her beauty inspired the author. The author was inspired by the sight of his cousin and

she became the essence of his poem about her. In that sense, the topic of poem is the

beauty. Byrons friend James Webster has written: I did take him to Lady Sitwells Partyin Seymour road. He saw there for the first time his cousin, the beautiful Mrs. Wilmot.

When we returned to his rooms in the Albany, he said little, but desired Fletcher to givehim a tumbler of brandy, which he drank at once to Mrs. Wilmots health, he retired to rest,

and was, I heard afterwards, in a sad state all night. The next day he wrote those charming

lines upon her, She walks in beauty

SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY is a lyrical poem. This poem is written in three stanzas

and has eighteen lines, and the rhyme scheme is ABABAB, CDCDCD, EFEFEF. Words

that rhyme in first stanza are night/light/bright and skies/eyes/denies. Throughout thepoem, the common thread is the rhyming of the odd lines and the even ones (night-1/light-

3/light-5; skies-2/eyes-4/denies-6). This pattern is repeated throughout the second and thirdstanza. Each line is alternated with unstressed syllables followed by stressed syllables andthe meter is iambic tetrameter, each meter is comprised four feet per line.

The first theme is descriptive, like at first line She walks in beauty, like the night.The whole poem encapsulates his own perceptions of her beauty. The second theme is

aboutprinciples, where the author talks about the ladys principles. He is totally besotted

by her, but he also portrays her as being art of his reach. The third theme is about women

and feminity. The all poem is about one woman, but the woman involved doesnt getopportunity to prove any of these statements; she never denies, she is a silent party to the

poem. The fourth theme is awe and amazement. Poet tries to tell us that he adores her, but

the speaker cant see her. He passes this and concentrates on describing her appearance. Heis fantasizing in his head.

The poem is about a lady and he compares her to the darkness and starry skies, whichcould mean she is dark as an unknown and secretive to him.

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies 1-2 line

8/2/2019 She Walks in Beauty Essay

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He compares her beauty with night to tell us that she has a striking beauty, but she is

mysterious. The unnamed woman walks in beauty, here author encapsulates not only her

beauty but a movement and her spring in the step. His emphasize is not just on her prettyface but also on her movement and grace.

And all thats best of dark and brightMeet in her aspect and her eyes3-4 line

He uses comparison of dark and bright to compare her external beauty with her internal

soul. dark and bright is a metaphor. He also about face being pure and sweet.

thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies 5-6 line

When he m