She Walks in Beauty - Context Flashcards
1
Q
who wrote this poem?
A
lord byron
2
Q
when was this poem written and published?
A
- written in 1814
- published in 1815
3
Q
lord byron
A
- born in 1788
- died in 1824
- “mad, bad and dangerous to know” ~ one of lord byron’s former lovers
- a romantic poet, politician and eventual revolutionary
- a celebrity- famous for his writing and aristocratic excesses
- involved in a number of sex scandals
- had affairs with actresses, married society women and many young men
- had a deformed foot
- spent lots of time travelling Europe
4
Q
what collection was this poem published in?
A
in the collection ‘hebrew melodies’
5
Q
who is this poem allegedly about?
A
- lord byron allegedly wrote this poem after meeting his first cousin’s wife at a funeral - wearing black
- poem is meant to be accompanied by music
6
Q
romanticism
A
- 1798-1850
- other poets: william wordsworth, john keats, percy bysshe shelley
- elements of nature: ‘starry skies’ ‘one ray’ ‘raven’
7
Q
what is this poem about?
A
- the narrator describes a woman he’s seen, taking her individual body parts in turn. he thinks she’s incredibly beautiful and uses images of dark and light to emphasise how perfect she is
- he suggests that her appearance reflects her personality - she has spent her life doing good things
8
Q
what are the themes present in the poem?
A
- love and relationships
- faith and worship
