She Walks Into Beauty
Lord Byron
Summary of the Poem.
The poem "She Walks in Beauty" has three stanzas of six lines each. The poem tells us about female beauty. The speaker of the poem describes the internal and outer beauty of a woman. The present poem is considered a love poem but the poet never openly expresses his feelings. He focuses on the captivating beauty and purity of the woman. The speaker is completely fascinated by the beauty of the woman. The speaker emphasizes not only just about outward appearances but also her inner beauty or virtues with purity. The poet firmly believes that beauty comes from within and the body is merely a reflection of that inner beauty. Thus by describing her outer appearance as well as her inner beauty the poet elevates her to the level of divinity. There is a beautiful amalgamation of physical characteristics and moral depiction in each stanza.
The main themes of the poem are pure beauty and the harmony of mind and body.
Lord Byron uses phrases like "tender light" to describe and compare beauty, as he creates lovely imagery for her charming features, the eloquence of speech, and purity of love. While using classical diction, Byron emphasizes beauty. Furthermore, the balance of light and dark candidates beauty's perfection, where even minor changes can detract from it. The thematic thread of beauty and harmony runs.
Stanza wise analysis and explanation of the poem "She Walks in Beauty" by Lord Byron.
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.
In this stanza, the speaker describes the woman's beauty as being comparable to the serene night sky. He juxtaposes the concepts of darkness and brightness, suggesting that both elements come together harmoniously in her appearance. Her eyes and overall demeanor exude a gentle radiance that resembles the soft glow of twilight, a quality even more sublime than the brilliance of daytime.
Further the speaker compares the woman's beauty to the serene and captivating quality of a clear night sky without any clouds. He marvels at how the woman embodies both darkness and brightness in her appearance, suggesting that her features combine contrasting elements in a harmonious way. The phrase "all that's best of dark and bright" highlights the way her different qualities come together to create something uniquely beautiful. Her demeanor and eyes radiate a gentle and tender light, resembling the soft illumination of twilight, which is described as being more delicate and pleasing than the garish brightness of daytime
Stanza 2
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.
In the second stanza, the speaker remarks that even a slight alteration in the woman's appearance, be it a slightly darker or lighter shade, would lessen the unique and indescribable charm she possesses. Her dark hair and the light that plays across her face contribute to her overall beauty. The thoughts and emotions expressed on her face are described as serene and sweet, reflecting the purity and preciousness of her inner self.
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!
In the final stanza, the speaker focuses on the woman's face and attributes. Her cheek and brow are described as being soft and calm, yet full of expression. Her smiles and radiant complexion reveal a life marked by virtuous actions and kind-heartedness. Her demeanor reflects a peaceful and harmonious state of mind, and her love is characterized as innocent and pure.
Overall, "She Walks in Beauty" is a lyrical celebration of the woman's physical and inner beauty, with each stanza offering a vivid description of different aspects of her appearance and character. Byron's use of contrasts and imagery creates a sense of harmony and admiration for the woman's qualities.
चालता तू चंचलेजशी निरभ्र आकाशी चांदण्यांची रात्र भासेतेज उषेचे रंग निशेचे सुंदरतेचा मिलाप असेस्वर्गातही असा दिन उगवणार नाही सौम्य तेजस्वी प्रकाशज्योतीच्या डोळ्यात दिसे.
एक छटा जास्त न एक कमी शलाकासौंदर्याचे हे गुणोत्तर चुकले असते लौकीकासौंदर्यात भर म्हणजे चमकदार काळ्या कुरळ्या केसांचेतिच्या चेहऱ्यावरती परावर्तित सौंदर्य ओसांडायचेगोड निरागस व्यक्त भाव तिचेशुद्ध विचार मनाचे चेहऱ्यावर दिसायचे.
तिचे मऊ मुलायम कोमल गालतिचे व्यक्त होणारे शांत कपाळहास्य असे की जिंके सारेतेज त्वचेचे दिसते न्यारे.सौंदर्यास या ना नसे मोजमापप्रेम रदयाची आहे ती निष्पापसौंदर्य आणि गुणाने जग जिंकण्याचा केला तिने प्रताप !
Metaphor:-
Two unlike objects with the similar quality are directly compared by using the words like "Like, So, As" it's called Simile.
Examples:-
1) "She walks in beauty, like the night"
Comparing her beauty to the night using "like."
Metaphor:-
1) "Of cloudless climes and starry skies,"
Describing her beauty as being similar to cloudless climes and starry skies.
2) "Thus mellow'd to that tender light"
Comparing the light to a softened, gentle quality.
Antithesis:-
An antithesis is a figure of speech that presents two ideas that are drastically at odds with one another.
Two contrasting ideas are placed in a sentence but in two different classes.(Not in the same phrase)
Examples:-
1) "One shade the more, one ray the less,"
Contrasting "shade" with "ray" to highlight the subtle changes in her beauty.
Oxymoron:-
A phrase that combines two words that seem to be the opposite of each other. It is a rhetorical device that uses two opposite or contradictory terms one after the other in order to project an effect.
Examples:-
1) "And all that's best of dark and bright"
"dark" and "bright" to emphasize the complexity of her beauty.
Alliteration:-
1) "Where thoughts serenely sweet express,"
Repetition of the "s" sound in "serenely sweet."
Repetition:-
Examples:-
"And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
"Repeating "and" to connect the description of different parts of her face.
Personification:-
Whenever inanimate objects are personified that is, non-human Objects are given Human Qualities, it's called Personification.
Anaphora:-
A device in which a phrase or word is repeated at the start of successive phrases, sentences, or clauses. Anaphora is a literary device that allows writers to emphasise, convey, and reinforce meaning in their writing
Poetic Appreciation of the poem "She walks in beauty". (February 2023)
The poem "She walks in Beauty" is composed by the renowned English poet Lord Byron. The poem has three stanzas of six lines each. The poem tells us about the female beauty of the unnamed woman. The poet has used several poetic devices to describe the unparalleled beauty of the woman. The poet used figures of speech like Similes, "like the night", alliteration "stray skies", metaphor, and personification (the poet personified the organs of a lady.
The poem has the regular rhyme schemes ababab as there are rhyming pairs in every alternate line.
Though the present poem is considered a love poem, the main theme of the poem is pure beauty and the harmony of mind and body.
The poet speaks about the physical band spiritual beauty of a woman. He praised her beauty. At the same time, he also speaks about the perfect amalgamation of day and night light and dark. Another theme is about inner and pure beauty which enhances outer beauty. Her inner beauty is so pure that it takes her to the level of divinity due to her purity and innocence.
The poem gives an excellent message to the readers that to look beautiful from the outside one must be beautiful internally.
I like the poem as it gives the valuable moral of life.
A | B |
(1) the lady's beauty. (2) her hair (3) her eyes (4) her smile (5) her mind (6) her face |
|
✒️Answer:-
A | B |
(1) the lady's beauty. (2) her hair (3) her eyes (4) her smile (5) her mind (6) her face | i) a cloudless starry night v) at peace with all below a heart. v) expresses thoughts serenely and sweetly |
Poetic Appreciation in the form of Points. Please note that it's expected that appreciation must be in the form of Paragraph which covers all the points
| Title of the poem and about the poet. | ‘She Walks in Beauty’. A Short Lyrical Poem by English romantic poet Lord Byron. |
| The theme | The pure beauty (inner & outer) and the harmony of mind and body. It's also considered as love poem. |
| Poetic style | The poem has three stanzas of six lines each. All stanzas described inner and outer beauty. |
| Language and poetic devices | The poem has simple language, it is rich with the figures of speech like Simile, Antithesis, Alliteration and Personification. The poem has the regular rhyme schemes ababab as there are rhyming pairs in every alternate line. |
| Special features | The poem's romantic tone and lyrical language contribute to its timeless appeal. |
| Message, value, morals | The real beauty is the combination of physical and spiritual beauty. Inner and outer beauty. |
| Own opinion | I like this poem as it focuses on the inner beauty, it's a real beauty. |
“Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder”. Explain.
This is absolutely true that “Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder”. It means that what one person finds beautiful might not be the same for someone else. In simple terms, beauty is subjective and depends on the person looking at something. Different people have different opinions about what they consider beautiful. So, it’s not about something being universally beautiful; instead, it’s about individual preferences and perspectives.
Words used to describe the lady in the poem:
| mellowed eyes | peaceful mind | lovely |
| winning smiles | glowing tints | pure |
| lightened face | innocent | sweet |
| soft | calm | eloquent |
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