She Walks In Beauty Flashcards
Who wrote She Walks in Beauty?
Lord Byron
What is the story behind the inspiration for She Walks In Beauty?
Lord Byron saw a mysterious woman dressed in black at a party
Momentarily infatuated with her
What were Lord Byron’s life dates?
1788-1824
What era of literature was She Walks in Beauty written as part of?
Romanticism
2nd gen
What was Byron’s public image?
-cultivated carefully Scandalous Hyperbolic Archetype of romantic lifestyle 'mad, bad and dangerous to know'
What was Byron’s background?
Did he conform to this?
Wealthy
Inherited title at 10
Educated at Cambridge and Harrow
Famous overnight
No
-left England in 1816 after failed marriage, extensive debts and affairs
What was Byron’s private life like?
1814-illegitimate daughter w/ sister Augusta
1815-Married Anabella- had daughter
1816-separated
Left England
Spent time at Lake Geneva w/ the Shelleys
-Had a daughter w/ mary’s sister
Italy- wrote most famous works
1823-Joined Greek insurgents fighting for freedom from the Ottoman Empire
1824- Died of fever
(fever=feverous life?)
What was the response to Byron’s death?
Widely mourned
Laid to rest in England
What is the image of a Byronic hero?
Melancholic Dark Broody Rebellious Social wanderer -->Became a highly sought after role model
(think affect Effy has had-SKINS)
What were expectations of women in the 19th century?
Pure Chaste Submissive Property of fathers or husbands Less intelligent
Why are Lord Byron’s views on woman that are presented in She Walks in Beauty ironic?
Romanticism- believed in giving the marginalised a voice
HOWEVER
Poem reflects wide spread attitudes to women at the time
What is the structure of SWIB?
What effect does this have?
Triptych
Regular, simple rhyme scheme
Iambic tetrameter
-Traditional structure contrasts with mystery associated w/ this woman
What is the significance of the use of iambic tetrameter in SWIB?
How does this link to Romanticism?
Considered rhythm that naturally fits w/ our bodies
–>In the poem Byron is succuming to his desires
Recognition of the influence of senses
–>TROPE OF ROMANTICS
What does the use of impersonal pronouns throughout the poem, including ‘She…’ in line 1 suggest?
Link with context
Anonymity of woman he is admiring
–>Characterless-mysterious
=ALL physical attraction
CONTEXT: Byron had a scandalous relationship w/ women -->lack of care for her personally ALSO women expected to be submissive
> Suggest Byron’s traditional orthodox attitudes to the role of woman>contradicting views of Romantics
What does the unconventional simile ‘She walks in beauty, like the night’ suggest in line 1?
Unconventional quality to women
–>Her beauty surrounded her as she socialises
Lack of relationship between two–> night=mysterious?
What does the synesthetic image of ‘Thus mellowed to that tender light’ in line 5 suggest about the woman’s beauty?
Overwhelming narrator
- All encompassing
- ->floods senses
What is the effect of the unconventional metaphor ‘Which waves in every raven tress’ in line 9?
Ravens usually associated w/ death
19th century:
Fair=beauty
HOWEVER
Greek mythology:
raven=sign of hope
–>women may seem unconventional with seductive nature (CONTEXT OF WOMEN) but attracts him nonetheless
–>mystery adds to appeal
(Also suggests the scandalousness of Bryon’s personal life? Unorthodox)
What does the use of abundant soft sibilance throughout the poem such as ‘But tell of days in goodness spent’ in line 16 evoke?
Expectations of purity for women in the 19th century
ALL CONTEXT
What does the emphatic adjectival ending of ‘A heart whose love is innocent!’ suggests?
Byron’s pleasure at perceived purity of woman he is admiring
What could the tone of the poem be?
Negative
Slightly leering appreciation of an unknown woman’s beauty and perceived uncorrupted purity
What does line 15 ‘The smiles that win, the tints that glow’ refer ambiguously to?
What does this evoke?
Link this to romanticism
Signifier of arousal
Narrator’s desires for passion
–>sensual imagery creates a sense of THE SUBLIME
TROPE OF ROMANTICISM
How does She Walks In Beauty clearly fit into the genre of ROMANTICISM?
Recognition of influence of senses throughout
-his attraction to her
Sensual imagery evokes a sense of the sublime
What are the themes of She Walks In Beauty?
Lust obsession love control power Natures power over us
What can She Walks In Beauty be linked to? How?
Ozymandias -natures power Valentine -subverts ideals of love Sonnet 43 -provides ideals of love
