The speaker begins by describing the beauty of an unnamed woman. He refers to her only by the pronoun ‘she’ as he says, “She walks in beauty”. This stanza makes use of the simile device to liken the beautiful lady to the night of cloudless climes and starry skies. Thus, the woman who is the subject of this poem is as beautiful as a clear night sky.
All the dark and bright hues of the night blend beautifully in her complexion. Thus, Nature seems to have blessed the woman with a perfect balance. She is neither too dark like the night, nor too light like the day. Instead, she radiates tender light, which is neither too harsh and nor too dull.
The poet says that one shade the more, one ray the less would have made her appearance less captivating. He means that all the elements of beauty are bestowed upon this woman in just the right proportion. Even a slight difference would have impaired the nameless grace.
The speaker finds the sight of the raven tress, that is, a dark lock of hair lying on the woman’s face strikingly beautiful. He then shifts his attention to describe her inner beauty and serene thoughts that make her outward appearance all the more worthy of admiration.
The poet is awestruck by the peace and innocence that mark the beauty of the woman. The inner goodness of her heart and a clarity of mind are reflected on that cheek, and o’er that brow. So, the woman is not only outwardly pretty but also possesses inner beauty. This perfect blend of light and dark, and of outward appearance and inward serenity make her worthy of the praise that the poet showers upon her.
Byron’s poem can be read as a love poem. It can also be understood as a simple poem written in the praise of a beautiful woman. The various similes and metaphors that compare her features to various elements of Nature show that Byron was a true romantic poet obsessed with the ideas of beauty and nature.
