She Walks In Beauty by Lord Byron

Question 1

What does Lord Byron use She walks in Beauty as a vehicle to?

Answer 1

-to express his adoration and infatuation towards a particular female whom he met at a ball, who contextually is known to be his cousin

Question 2

Initially point

Answer 2

Byron focuses on the beauty of this mystery woman by comparing her to the stars and referring to her as perfect

Question 3

Initially… (qoute 1)

Answer 3

“Cloudless climes and starry skies”

• The use of this alliteratively balanced phrase shows her extensive beauty
• “Cloudless climes”- suggests that her demeanour is pure and nothing spoils her external image
• “starry skies”- emphasises how beautiful she is because it makes her stand out from the darkness that surrounds her, especially since this encounter is at a funeral

Question 4

Initially… (qoute 2)

Answer 4

“Best of dark and bright”

-this further intensifies her beauty because she is seen as being beautiful and fair in the best and worst times, as shown through the juxtaposition between “dark and bright”

Question 5

However as the text develops point

Answer 5

Byron begins to praise the purity of her thoughts and personality without even meeting her,exposing the idolisation of women in the early 19th century

Question 6

However as the text develops… (qoute 1)

Answer 6

“Thoughts serenely sweet express”

• Use of sibilance give this woman a beautiful personality as well as a beautiful exterior, it creates a more heartfelt rapport between the two, despite not even talking
• Through Byron’s depiction of this women’s personality without even talking to her, he reveals how judgmental men of the early 19th century are, purely based on appearance as opposed to the content of their personality

Question 7

As the text develops… (qoute 2)

Answer 7

“How pure”

-through Byron’s questioning of her purity, he emphasises just how little he knows of this women

Question 8

Ultimately point

Answer 8

Byron outright praises her personality without meeting her, highlighting the very judgemental quality of men during the early 19th century

Question 9

Ultimately…(qoute 1)

Answer 9

“A mind at peace with all below”

• He suggests that she is a genuine good person despite not conversing with her
• He is idolising her

Question 10

Ultimately… (qoute 2)

Answer 10

“A heart whose love is innocent”

-By the end of the poem, he drifts away from her beauty and his infatuation for her, instead he praises her personality, which is ironic because he doesn’t know her