Lord Byron's Poem, She Walks in Beauty

k">In June, 1814, several months before he met and
married his first wife, Anna Milbanke, Lord Byron
Lord Byron’s opening couplet to “Sheattended a party at Lady Sitwell’s. While at
Walks In Beauty” is among the mostthe party, Lord Byron was inspired by the sight
memorable and most quoted lines in romanticof his cousin, the beautiful Mrs. Wilmot, who was
poetry. The opening lines are effortless, graceful,wearing a black spangled mourning dress. Lord
and beautiful, a fitting match for his poem about aByron was struck by his cousin’s dark hair
woman who possesses effortless grace andand fair face, the mingling of various lights and
beauty.shades. This became the essence of his poem
Life in Englandabout her.
Lord Byron was born George Gordon Noel ByronAccording to his friend, James W. Webster, “I
in London in 1788. He became a Lord in 1798did take him to Lady Sitwell’s party in
when he inherited the title and the estate of hisSeymour Road. He there for the first time saw
great-uncle. Byron’s mother had taken himhis cousin, the beautiful Mrs. Wilmot. When we
to Scotland for treatment for his club foot, butreturned to his rooms in Albany, he said little, but
she brought him back to England to claim the titledesired Fletcher to give him a tumbler of brandy,
and the estate.which he drank at one to Mrs. Wilmot’s
Byron was privately tutored in Nottingham for ahealth, then retired to rest, and was, I heard
short period. He then studied in Harrow, Southwell,afterwards, in a sad state all night. The next day
and Newstead, and finally at Trinity College. Byronhe wrote those charming lines upon her—She
discovered a talent for writing poetry andwalks in Beauty like the Night…”
published some early poems in 1806 and his firstThe poem was published in 1815. Also in that year
collection, called Hours of Idleness, in 1897 at theLord Byron wrote a number of songs to be set
age of 19. When he turned age 21 he was able toto traditional Jewish tunes by Isaac Nathan. Lord
take his seat in the House of Lords.Byron included “She Walks in Beauty” with
However, Lord Byron left England for two yearsthose poems.
with his friend, John Hobhouse, to travel throughShe Walks in Beauty
Europe. They toured Spain, Malta, Greece, and1
Constantinople. Greece especially impressed ByronShe walks in beauty, like the night
and would create a recurring theme in his life.Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
After returning to England Lord Byron made hisAnd all that's best of dark and bright
first speech to the House of Lords. Later thatMeet in her aspect and her eyes:
year he published a “poetic travelogue” titled,Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, a respectableWhich heaven to gaudy day denies.
collection of verses about his recent travels in2
Europe. The collection earned Lord Byron lastingOne shade the more, one ray the less,
fame and admiration. Lord Byron had become aHad half impair'd the nameless grace
ladies’ man and the newly earned celebrityWhich waves in every raven tress,
brought him a series of affairs and courtships.Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Lord Byron married Anna Isabella Milbanke in 1815Where thoughts serenely sweet express
and his daughter, Augusta, was born later thatHow pure, how dear their dwelling place.
year. However, the marriage did not last long. In3
early 1816 Anna and Augusta left Lord Byron andAnd on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
later that year he filed for legal separation and leftSo soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
England for Switzerland, a self-imposed exile.The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
Life in EuropeBut tell of days in goodness spent,
While in Switzerland Lord Byron stayed with PercyA mind at peace with all below,
Bysshe Shelley, a prominent metaphysical andA heart whose love is innocent!
romantic poet, and had an illegitimate daughter,Discussion of the Poem
Allegra, with Claire Clairmont. After that affairThe first couple of lines can be confusing if not
ended, Lord Byron and his friend, John Hobhouseread properly. Too often readers stop at the end
traveled through Italy, settling first in Venice,of the first line where there is no punctuation. This
where he had a couple more affairs, including anis an enjambed line, meaning that it continues
affair with the nineteen year old Countess Teresawithout pause onto the second line. That she
Guicciolo. Here Lord Byron began his most famouswalks in beauty like the night may not make
and most acclaimed work, the epic poem Donsense as night represents darkness. However, as
Juan.the line continues, the night is a cloudless one with
Lord Byron and Teresa moved to Ravenna, thenbright stars to create a beautiful mellow glow. The
to Pisa, and then to Leghorn, near Shelley’sfirst two lines bring together the opposing qualities
house, in 1821. The poet Leigh Hunt moved in withof darkness and light that are at play throughout
Lord Byron later that year after Shelley drownedthe three verses.
off the coast near Leghorn in a storm. LordThe remaining lines of the first verse employ
Byron contributed poetry to Hunt’sanother set of enjambed lines that tell us that her
periodical, The Liberal, until 1823 when he took theface and eyes combine all that’s best of
opportunity to travel to Greece to act as andark and bright. No mention is made here or
agent for the Greeks in their war against Turkey.elsewhere in the poem of any other physical
Lord Byron used his personal finances to help fundfeatures of the lady. The focus of the vision is
some of the battles by the Greeks against theupon the details of the lady’s face and
Turks. He even commanded a force of threeeyes which reflect the mellowed and tender light.
thousand men in an attack on the Turkish-heldShe has a remarkable quality of being able to
fortress of Lepanto. The siege was unsuccessfulcontain the opposites of dark and bright.
and the forces withdrew. At this time Lord ByronThe third and fourth lines are not only enjambed,
suffered one or two epileptic fits. The remedy ofbut the fourth line begins with an irregularity in the
the day, blood-letting, weakened him.meter called a metrical substitution. The fourth line
Six weeks later, during a particularly chillystarts with an accented syllable followed by an
rainstorm, Lord Byron contracted a severe cold.unaccented one, rather than the iambic meter of
The accompanying fever was treated bythe other lines, an unaccented syllable followed by
repeated bleeding by trusted physicians, but hisan accented one. The result is that the word
condition worsened until he eventually slipped into“Meet” receives attention, an emphasis. The
a coma and died on April 19, 1924.lady’s unique feature is that opposites
Lord Byron was a hero in Greece and was deeply“meet” in her in a wonderful way.
mourned there. His heart was buried in GreeceThe second verse tells us that the glow of the
and his body was sent to England where it waslady’s face is nearly perfect. The shades
buried in the family vault near Newstead. He wasand rays are in just the right proportion, and
denied burial in Westminster Abbey because ofbecause they are, the lady possesses a nameless
the perceived immorality of his life and numerousgrace. This conveys the romantic idea that her
controversies. Finally in 1969, 145 years after hisinner beauty is mirrored by her outer beauty. Her
death, a memorial was placed in the Poets’thoughts are serene and sweet. She is pure and
Corner of Westminster Abbey, commemoratingdear.
his poetry and accomplishments.The last verse is split between three lines of
Shortly after his arrival in Greece, Lord Byron hadphysical description and three lines that describe
written these appropriate lines.the lady’s moral character. Here soft, calm
"Seek out—less often sought than found—glow reflects a life of peace and goodness. This is
A soldier's grave—for thee the besta repetition, an emphasis, of the theme that the
Then look around, and choose thy ground,lady’s physical beauty is a reflection of her
And take thy rest."inner beauty.
An interesting and exceptional biography of LordLord Byron greatly admired his cousin’s
Byron’s life was written in 1830 by aserene qualities on that particular night and he has
contemporary and friend, John Galt, titled, Theleft us with an inspired poem.
Life of Lord Byron. The 49 chapters give a goodThe poem was written shortly before Lord
measure of Lord Byron’s complexity.Byron’s marriage to Anna Milbanke and
“She Walks in Beauty”published shortly after the marriage.