She Walks in Beauty
She Walks in Beauty Questions
Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Why do so many people think of this as a love poem, when the speaker never once mentions being in love?
- Why does the poet compare the woman to "night" instead of to "day"?
- The poem emphasizes that the woman's beauty has to do with the harmonious blending of light and dark in her features. Does the speaker believe one better than the other? Why or why not, and how can you tell? What do you think?
- Most critics believe that the woman described in this poem is Byron's cousin by marriage, Lady Wilmot Horton, whom he met at a party the night before writing this piece. If that's true, why doesn't he mention his subject by name? Does your interpretation of the poem change, knowing that it may have been inspired by a specific woman? How so?
People who Shmooped this also Shmooped...
Noodle's College Search