She Walks in Beauty

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She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron– Get more information

Title-

The title ‘She Walks in Beauty’ gives idea that the poem deals with a woman who is walking gracefully expressing her beauty.

Poem-

‘She Walks in Beauty’ is a short lyrical poem. It is celebrating female beauty. The poet describes an unnamed woman who is exceptionally striking. The poet presents not only her external appearance but also her inner goodness. It makes her so captivatingly attractive.

Poet-

George Gordon Byron

He is also known as Lord Byron. He is a famous English Romantic Poet. He is also a satirist. He composed ‘Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage’ which made him immensely popular in England.

Ice Breaker Activities- She Walks in Beauty

Activity 1-

While judging any person you would consider certain aspects. Complete the diagram after carefully thinking what aspects you would consider.

Answer-

Different aspects of a person

Personality
Appearance
Body Language
Etiquettes
Attire
Facial Expression
Eye contact
Confidence
Language
Pronunciation of words
Physical features
Communication skill
Attitude
Style
Modesty
Frankness

Activity 2-

Make a list of proverbs and quotations related to ‘Beauty’.

Answer-

1) Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

2) Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

3) Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.

4) Beauty is about enhancing what you have. Let yourself shine through.

5) Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting.

6) The absence of flaw in beauty is itself a flaw.

7) Beauty is power; a smile is its sword.

8) Outer beauty turns the head, but inner beauty turns the heart.

9) What is beautiful is good and what is good will soon also be beautiful.

10) If eyes were made for seeing, then beauty is its own excuse for being.

11) Outer beauty attracts, but inner beauty captivates.

12) When beauty lives in the heart, it doesn’t need to show up anywhere else.

Activity 3-

Discuss your impressions about someone’s personality and say what you like the most and why.

Answer-

I like the personality of veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan.

1) Humility:

Amitabh Bachchan became a legend because of his humility and kind gesture. Being an actor, it becomes too difficult to maintain humbleness and treat people with so much love and dignity. But he achieved it.

2) Hunger to win

Mr. Bachchan has the attitude to win success. He tried everything to become successful in life. At this age too, he is eager to win so doing the hard work every time.

3) Never give up

This man beats every crisis in economics. He slept on benches in Marine Drive, became a superstar, lost the shine, his company ABCL went bankrupt, but he didn’t stop working. Mr. Bachchan returned, with success.

4) Trying new things

Mr. Bachchan has proved that there is nothing in the world that the senior actor cannot do. He uses lates media like blog, twitter, and other social medias effectively. He always searches new ideas, things and work. All these qualities fascinate me. So the personality of actor Amitabh Bachchan.

Glossary-

climes : climate

starry : full of stars

aspect : features of face

mellowed : made smooth and soft

tender light : dim soft glow

gaudy : bright and showy

impaired : weakened

raven : a large bird of the crow family with shiny black feathers

eloquent : expressive

tress : a long lock of a woman’s hair

serenely : in a peaceful manner

brow : forehead

tints : shades of colour

Special Terms-

nameless grace :

The woman’s beauty and “grace” are so hard to define that they’re “nameless.” She is perfect. So she does not need anything else. She is a complete girl.

The night of cloudless climes and starry skies :

The night is not dark. It is full of light due to the stars and cloudless climate. It is clear night lit by brightly by stars.

And all that’s best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes : Everything that is great about both “dark” and “bright” come together in this woman. Essentially, she’s got the best of both. Her appearance and especially her eyes create harmony between ‘dark’ and ‘bright.’

Paraphrase of the poem- She Walks in Beauty

First Stanza-

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

Explanation-

The woman is not beautiful in herself, but she walks in an aura of beauty. The woman is compared to the night of cloudless climes and starry skies. The night is not dark. It is full of light due to the stars and cloudless climate. It is clear night lit by brightly by stars.

And all that’s best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

Explanation-

Bright and dark colour have been harmoniously combined in her eyes and features of the face to make her pleasant in appearance. The poet has used two contradictory concepts (dark and bright) to highlight her smooth and shining appearance. She has the best of darkness and brightness. It enhances her outward look.

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

Explanation-

Everything that is great about both ‘dark and bright’ (line 03) is mellowed (made smooth and soft) to something that is “tender” and less intense than the light you get during the day (gaudy day).

Second Stanza-

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Explanation-

The balance between ‘shade and light’ in the lady is so perfect that if you added one more shade or took away a single ray of light, you would mess everything up. Fiddling with this balance at all would half impaired or damage the woman’s beauty. We cannot tinker with the balance. Her beauty or grace is nameless. It cannot be defined.

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o’er her face;

Explanation-

Her nameless grace is visible in her dark long hair and the appearance or the expression that lightens her face.

Where thoughts serenely sweet express,

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

Explanation-

Her expression or appearance shows how serenely sweet her thoughts are. Her sweet expression is apt reflection of what is going on inside her mind which is the dwelling place of her thoughts. Here dear means precious or valuable. The sweet expression suggests that her mind is pure and innocent

Third Stanza

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

Explanation-

Here tinks means blushes and brow means forehead. Her smiles and her blushes that glow on her cheeks and over her forehead are soft and calm and win heart. Even though she is quit and calm, her smiles and blushes are eloquent. Her expressions speak everything.

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

Explanation-

These lines convey platonic love. The woman’s serenity and smiles reflect the calmness of her mind. because she is a good person. Her smiles indicate that she spends all her time doing good things.

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

Explanation-

Her mind is at peace with all below. (Peace at below means everyone on earth.) Her love is innocent too. It means that she is in love with someone, but her love is innocent and pure. Peace of mind and heart can only be seen on the face of a person whose love is innocent. There is attraction for the inner goodness and not for the physical beauty.

See More–

See activities and appreciation in the book- Activity Workbook for Std. XII English By prof. Tushar Chavan.

Price Rs. 400 + Courier/ Postage Rs. 50

Total Rs. 450

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