She Walks in Beauty

Appreciation : She Walks In Beauty

Lord Byron was a famous English Romantic poet and also a satirist. His composition ‘Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage’ made him immensely popular in England.

          The poem ‘She Walks in Beauty’ is a short lyrical poem.  It celebrates the female beauty. The poet describes an unnamed woman who is exceptionally striking. Byron compares her to the night sky describing her serene and perfect beauty. The poem is generally thought to be a love poem. But the poet never actually declares his love for this lady.

          The poem is divided in three stanzas of six lines each. The poem is full of soft sounds and rhythm. The poem is abundant with poetic devices. Simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration and antithesis are striking figures of speech in the poem. Imagery has made the poem effective.

          The poet describes not only her external appearance but also her inner goodness. The real beauty is not the appearance of the person but lies at heart.

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Figures of Speech: Poetic Devices

1. Simile: She walks in beauty like the night, of cloudless climes and starry skies

2. Alliteration: a.  starry skies b. day denies c. where thoughts serenly sweet express d. Cloudless climes

3. Metaphor : raven tress

4. Personification: day denies , the smiles win

5. Antithesis  : a. And all that’s best of dark and bright.    b. One shade the more, one rays the less

Question and Answers

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 mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired 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!

Summary

“She Walks in Beauty” by Lord Byron is a poem that celebrates the elegance and grace of a woman’s beauty. The speaker describes the woman’s physical appearance, praising her radiant eyes and glowing complexion. However, what sets her apart is not just her outward beauty, but also her inner goodness and purity. The poem emphasizes the harmony between her external loveliness and her virtuous character, suggesting that true beauty encompasses both physical and moral qualities. Overall, “She Walks in Beauty” is a tribute to the timeless allure of feminine grace and virtue.

A1. Factual: Complete the statements.

• 1. The climate in the poem is …………….
• 2. The woman in the poem has the best of……. and …… .
• 3. The colour of the woman’s hair is…….

Ans: 1. The climate in the poem is cloudless. 2. The woman in the poem has the best of dark and bright. 3. The colour of the woman’s hair is as black as raven.

A2. Inference: Describe the woman in the poem.

Ans : The poet describes a woman in this poem. She is beautiful. Her beauty is like the night of starry skies. All the best aspects belongs to her. Her hair are as black as raven. Her face is soft and lightened.

A3 PRT : “Beauty lies in the eyes of beholder”Explain

Ans : It is rightly said that beauty lies in the eyes of beholder. It is not the thing or place or person that has beauty. The same is beautiful for one and not for other. Different person has different perspective towards a thing of beauty. For some antique is beautiful where as for some modern decorative art is beautiful.

A4 Identify the figures of speech. a) She walks in beauty like the night. b) The smiles that win

a) She walks in beauty like the night. Simile: A woman walking is compared to night. b) The smiles that win : Personification: Smile is personified.

A5. Compose a poem of at least 4 to 6 lines on beauty of your town. Beauty and Inner Qualities







Poetic Creativity: (02)
Compose four lines of your own on the Theme,” The real beauty”

The real beauty is in the soul
Not just in the face that we behold
Kindness, love, and empathy
Are what make a person truly lovely

A5. Poetic Creativity: (02)
Compose a poem of four lines on “Beauty of Nature”

Nature’s beauty is beyond compare
With its breathtaking sights and scents so rare
The vibrant hues of flowers and trees
Are a testament to the beauty of nature’s decree

A5. Poetic creativity: (02)
“And on that cheek, and “O‟ er that brow
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent
Replace the underlined words by another and compose a stanza.


“And on that cheek, and ‘neath that brow
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent now
The smiles that grace, the hues that flow
But tell of joys that heart does know.”

Activity Set 2

A1. Choose: (02)
Choose the appropriate option and complete the sentences.
a) The beauty of the lady is compared with ………………………………
i) Tree ii) Monalissa
iii) Cloudless starry night iv) Rose flower

b) Her face expresses ………………….
i) Thoughts serenely and sweetly ii) Anger and emotions violently
iii) Regret and repentance iv) Loneliness and sadness.

c) The lady‟s hair
i) light in colour ii) wavy and black
iii) yellow / golden iv) grey and white

d) The mind of the lady is ……………………………………
i) Cruel and selfish ii) dirty and prejudiced
iii) devilish and repulsive iv) at peace with all below a heart.

A1. True or false State whether the following statements are true or false.

i. The poem depicts not only external beauty but also inner beauty of the lady. True
ii. The lady in the poem has a winning smile and a glowing skin. True
iii. The phrase,‟ dwelling place” here refers to the native place. False
iv. Beauty is a perfection achieved though harmony and this is the key element of
this poem. True

A2. Describe: (02)
Inner beauty v/s Outer beauty in context with the above extract. Ans : Outer beauty: The woman in the poem has black hair, expressive face, glowing tints. Inner beauty: The woman in the poem is described as peaceful and innocent.

A3. Personal Response: (02)
“When you feel beautiful, you are beautiful,” do you think it is true? Explain with suitable examples. Ans: Yes , I think

A3. Personal Response: (02)
“Do not judge a book by its cover,” do you think this proverb justify this extract. Share your views in about fifty words.

A4. Poetic Devices: (02)
“She walks in beauty like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies”
Name and explain the figure of speech used in the above line.

Simile: The beauty of the lady is compared with cloudless starry night.

A4. Poetic Devices: (02)
“And all that‟s best of dark and bright”
Identify the figure of speech used here. Ans : Antithesis: Opposite ideas ‘dark and bright’ are put together.

A4. Poetic Devices: (02)
Pick out an example of ALLITERATION from the given extract. Ans : cloudless climes ; day denies.

A4. Poetic Devices: (02)
“Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place”
Name and explain the figure of speech used here. Ans : Alliteration: The consonantal sound ‘s’ is repeated pleasingly.

Activity Set 3

A1. Complete the web by writing down the words describing the lady in the extract. (02)
A2. Give reason: (02)
The lady in the poem has a winning smile and a glowing skin. According to the poet she is blessed with these things
A3. Beauty lies in the eyes of beholder”. We all know this saying. Explain your views about it in about five to six sentences.
A4. Poetic device: (02)
i. Write down the rhyme scheme and rhyming pairs of the second
stanza of the given extract
A5. Creativity: (02)
Compose FOUR lines on „Beauty of Nature‟.

Answer:

A1. The words describing the lady in the extract could be: graceful, charming, elegant, alluring, attractive, beautiful, and radiant.

A2. The poet describes the lady in the poem as having a winning smile and a glowing skin because they are two physical traits that are commonly associated with beauty. The poet likely views these traits as blessings because they enhance the lady’s appearance and make her even more beautiful in their eyes.

A3. The saying “beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder” suggests that beauty is subjective and can vary from person to person. It means that what one person finds beautiful, another person may not. It also suggests that beauty is not just about physical appearance but can also be influenced by personal preferences and cultural values. In my view, this saying highlights the importance of individual perspectives and reminds us not to judge others based on their physical appearance.

A4. The rhyme scheme of the second stanza of the given extract is AABB. The rhyming pairs are “art”/”heart” and “grace”/”face”.

A5.

The beauty of nature is everywhere to see,
In the towering mountains and the vast blue sea,
In the blooming flowers and the rustling trees,
It fills our hearts with wonder and sets our spirits free.