Lord Byron's She Walks In Beauty

Harold Bloom, a Yale University professor, once said that “George Gordon, Lord Byron, is literature’s most notorious instance of a writer’s life becoming his work, indeed taking the place of it.” (Pesta, Bloom and Willis 1). Lord Byron was a famous poet that illustrated his emotions through his literature very effectively. Ironically, Byron enjoyed reading and writing, but hated poetry at an early age (Pesta, Bloom and Willis 9). However, Byron’s first piece of literature to be published, called “Fugitive Pieces,” was introduced in November, 1806 (Pesta, Bloom and Willis 21). Many factors contributed to the various writing styles and themes of Lord Byron’s literature; his troubled childhood as well as the way that he obsessed over sexual relationships …show more content…
The poem “She Walks in Beauty” perfectly represents how his feelings and experiences in real life reflected his writings. The poem title immediately captures the attention of the reader and makes them think of a gorgeous lady; almost goddess-like. We can also infer that Lord Byron greatly admires the lady he is speaking of by the way that he phrases the words like a direct statement from him to the reader. Assuredly, he goes into careful detail about how she is beautiful and her eyes are starry as well as dreamy. Furthermore, he explains how insects and even the sunlight is lucky to be able to be on her skin and in her presence (Marshell). Byron best illustrated just how perfect she was by using many different types of figurative language. For instance, he used alliteration, like in lines eleven through twelve where he says “Where thoughts serenely sweet his express, how pure, how dear their dwelling-place.”, to enhance his compassion and make the poem flow smoothly (Marshell). Unquestionably, he uses this figure of speech to compare the easiness of speaking the lines to the way that his love is easy and patient for her. Additionally, Byron uses a rhyme scheme to create a rhythm for the reader which compares to the smoothness of love. Love is not rigid and stern; it is smooth and has a definite rhythm that always stays on beat, even when things get tough (Marshell). Byron’s attitude that he …show more content…
A very distinguished example of this sadness displayed in his poetry would be the piece “Darkness”. Namely, the title itself means that there is no light. One might predict that Byron is stating that there is no good left in the world (Porter). The world is cast into darkness when the sun disappears one day and everyone is forced to be selfish and worry solely about their individual survival. Then, Byron elaborates in great detail how much the people that are left on a dark-filled Earth are filled with enormous fear (GradeSaver). People quickly become desperate for the sight of other humans and to feel the sad connections between one another. Additionally, he explains how certain people go into panic attacks and frenzy, while others fake happiness and wear emotionless smiles (Porter). Before long, humans and animals alike start to become scavengers and seek out any source of food possible. This further shows the common idea of war, even in the disastrous times that could occur. In conclusion, the darkness takes over everything by “forcing” the last two men to kill each other and then taking over the entire universe (GradeSaver). The meaning of this poem directly relates towards the attitude of the poem and to Byron’s outlook on life as well. He shared an attitude of depression, solitude and defeatedness that protruded all the way into his personal life (Porter). Looking