In the early 1800s, a banker named Douglas Kinaird suggested to two of his friends that they collaborate to produce a collection of songs which would later be called Hebrew Melodies. Lord Byron graciously accepted his friend's suggestion and gave Isaac Nathan, a young rabbinical student turned composer, the copyright to use the words he had written (Gordon 11). While Nathan's popularity faded away, the works of Byron are still widely read by student and admirer alike. From Don Juan to Childe Harold's Pilgrimage and to our own “She Walks in Beauty” it is easy to see within the stunning verse why these works survived. “She Walks in Beauty” presents the reader with a different conception of womanly pulchritude by comparing the woman admired with a dark and shimmering sky.
In June of 1814, there was festivity in London's air and Byron was taken against his will to Lady Sitwell's where he met his cousin by marriage, Mrs. Wilmot (Marchand 169). Byron stopped and wondered at her beauty which was made all the more apparent to him by the black mourning dress she was wearing. Byron was known as something of a Casanova, so it is unclear what all he did with his awe. What is known is that he went back to where he was staying in Albany, locked himself in a room and produced this poem by the next day (Gamber). The contrast between the dark dress and bright face made such an impression on Lord Byron that it still makes an impression on us today. What is interesting about this poem is that light does not overcome darkness, but the two work in harmony to bring out the beauty of each.
It is important to realize when interpreting the first line of this poem that it is an enjambment; meaning the first line should be taken with the second (Gamber). So, it is not that she comes over the room like a darkness which leaves those within to stagger around in ignorant blindness, but that she is like the stars revealing themselves in the absence of the sun. She is in mourning dress: the brilliance of the sun has left her and she is nonetheless beautiful. It would seem that the simple gown she is wearing enhances her radiance and does not detract from it. If one were to look up at the sky and watch the sun set, what would one see? That person would see the skies dim and the stars come out. It is because that one overpowering star has gone away that we are able to see the little stars in the sky. It is the same with Mrs. Wilmot. She is not in a beautiful evening gown nor is she decked out in her finest ball dress, but those loud adornments have been silenced allowing her inherent beauty to speak for itself.
“She walks in Beauty, like the night[...] (1)” There is something significant conveyed by the word “walk” in this opening line. The sun at daybreak appears in brilliance and glory, but the night comes in procession, creeping in at a stately pace. The image of Mrs. Wilmot resolves itself in the eyes of Lord Byron much like stars which slowly make their entrance into the night. This idea is picked up in line six with “Heaven to gaudy day denies.” The word “gaudy” is interesting in that it is a word which specifically criticizes appearance. All of those fancy dresses and frills that Lady Wilmot has worn have not added to hear beauty only distracted from it.
“[The] best of dark and bright / Meet[...] (3-4)” There are three possible interpretations of lines three and four that can be proposed. First, the writer of this poem has previously seen the lady in her brightness and now sees her in darkness (mourning). This meaning that he has seen her in day and now he sees her in night. The second two go together and support the simile presented in the first line. One, night has veiled beauty and twinkling stars making nighttime the best of both worlds. Two, these lines are using the previous idea to say that Lady Wilmot contains the best of both dark and light. In line nine the phrase “raven tress” tells the reader that the Lady has dark hair to match her dark dress. Dark and bright meet in Lady Wilmot in her beautifully dark hair and her beaming smile that wins (15).
“One shade the more, one ray the less, (7)” means that if the lighting were a bit dimmer or a bit brighter her grace would diminish. The lighting in the room seems to play an important role in Byron taking notice of Lady Wilmot. This idea can also be seen in line five were the Lady's aspect and eyes are “mellowed [by] that tender light.” The lighting is just so allowing little pinpricks to be picked up that might otherwise go unnoticed.
“Where thoughts serenely sweet express, / How pure, how dear their dwelling-place (11-12).” Now, the poem moves away from the physical beauty of Lady Wilmot to the charm of her mind and personality. The way the soft light shines on her and they way she shines out amidst darkness tells the writer that what is contained within must be alluring as well. Lines fourteen and fifteen give one an idea about how this woman is carrying herself at the party. Line fourteen says that Mrs. Wilmot is shy and reserved but still confident enough to move about amongst the guests at the party with grace. Fifteen informs the reader that people take to Mrs. Wilmot almost immediately because all she has to do to win someone over is smile at them.
“A mind at peace with all below (17),” proposes that the woman viewed is actually an angel from the heavens. This is certainly fitting with the rest of the poem. All the way through the poem this woman is described as one like the beauty to be found in the sky. The last line tells the reader that Mrs. Wilmot is pure and good, a thing which should be taken synonymously with beauty.
Byron turns a common poetical convention on its head by saying that it is not the fullness of one extreme that is the epitome of beauty. The brilliance of the noontime sun or the supreme darkness of night would only half express the beauty of Mrs. Wilmot (8). A beaming sun washes out a dark night with its twinkling stars and full darkness leaves one to one's thoughts. It takes the two combined to equal the weight of such prettiness.
Works Cited
Gamber, Garry. “Lord Byron's 'She Walks in Beauty.'” Ezine Articles June 2005. n. pag Fri. 19
Feb. 2010
Gordon, George. “She Walks in Beauty.” Byron's Poetry. Ed. Frank D. McConnell. New York:
Norton, 1978. 11.
Marchand, Leslie A. Byron: A Portrait. New York: Knopf, 1970.
