She Walks In Beauty

SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY

by: George Gordon (Lord) Byron (1788-1824)

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 mellow'd to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

 

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impair'd 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!

I interpreted ‘She Walks in Beauty” to be a romantic poem on a clear description of natural beauty. Byron writes what he feels and not what he thinks, it comes from within. His descriptions of a starry sky speak to me, a cloudless climb is like a perfect accomplishment. The climb or accomplishment could have not gone better for Byron. This is a love poem, describing how beautiful the women is, also how her personality as well as her looks are proportional. If it was a true love statement or just about admiration is left to the reader, because this poem was written about his cousin, whom he had met at a party. Byron describes a night with bright stars and compares this women to the night. She creates a tender light with the opposites her beauty, this light is described as a gaudy light; a light that can’t be seen in the daytime, one that the gods don’t even honor. Inside this poem light and dark come together when she appears, the eyes are where they meet, a portal to one’s soul. Byron comments on how opposites meet in the soul, and that if the light and dark proportions were off her beauty would be ruined, and only be half wonderful. Hidden within the poem is alliteration that is magnificently used. “She walks in Beauty” is a poem by George Gordon, Lord Byron, written in 1814 and published in 1815 in “Hebrew Melodies”. Several months before the author met and married his first wife, Anna Milbanke, Lord Byron attended a party at Lady Sitwell’s, 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. it is a brilliant poem, with some of the concepts not being too hard to comprehend. Byron was a strange fellow, for having relationships with his cousins or men, but the way this poem talks about the beauty of a women that he met at a party is incredible for such a non-causal meeting.