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POETRY - SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY

Terms in this set (10)

1. Abused as a child
2. Couldn't form sustainable relationships as a result
3. Had a reputation for lasciviousness.
What 3 aspects of Byron's background should you know about?
The poem is about a woman's natural beauty, and has no sexual tones to it. This is a subversion of what people expected of Byron, and proves there was more to him than just his reputation.
Why is the context so relevant for this poem?
1. Discusses beauty of night/darkness instead of light.
2. Written in iambic tetrameter rather than pentameter.
Name 2 subversions from a traditional love/nature poem.
Byron sees a woman (Anne Wilmott, his cousin's wife) dressed in black enter a party he is attending. He is amazed by the beauty she radiates, but he comes to understand that it is because of her inner goodness that she is outwardly so beautiful. He doesn't say he loves her; he simply admires her.
What is the poem about?
It suggests that the best things you can think of about day and night seem to be able to be seen in her eyes, the windows to the soul. She is the perfect mixture of light and dark.
Comment on the superlative in the line: 'And all that's best of dark and bright meet in her aspect and her eyes'
He has never seen such beauty before and can't label it
Why does he refer to the woman as nameless?
It emphasises the purity of her thoughts which begins to drive the focus of the poem from here on.
Comment on the caesura in the line: "How pure, how dear their dwelling place"
"A heart whose love is innocent!"
The exclamation mark emphasises how much importance Byron is attributing to her inner goodness that has created the aura that allows her to walk IN beauty. The purity of ther thoughts has allowed her to be completely content with life - and it shines through her.
What is the last line of the poem and why is it significant?
Iambic tetrameter - this is a subverted structure to the traditional form of peotry that is associated with this type of admiration. This reinforces the uniqueness of Anne Wilmott (the lady being described).
How is the structure metaphoric?
To Autumn - admiration for the season
Cozy Apologia - admiration of husband
The Soldier - admiration for England
Any Romantic poem
Possibly power poems - the radiance she has is a type of power.
Relationships - BYron's relationship is not of lust or love - compare this to Valentine's take on love, Sonnet 43.
What poems could you link this too?
Sets found in the same folder