Imagery and metaphors

In “She Walks in Beauty”, Lord Byron has employed numerous stylistic devices and figures of speech meant to enhance the readers’ perception of the unnamed woman.

Alliteration

By alliteration, we understand the repetition of the initial consonant in a series of words. In “She Walks in Beauty”, alliteration is employed here: “Of cloudless climes and starry skies;” (l. 2); “The smiles that win, the tints that glow,” (l. 15). There are more examples of this in the poem.

Metaphors

In stanza 2, the metaphor “raven trees” is employed in an ambiguous manner. The unusual metaphor is employed to depict the unnamed woman’s dark hair:

“Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;” (ll. 9-10)

Another metaphor employed in stanza 2 is that of the “dwelling-place” (l. 12). This expression is used to depict the woman’s mind, which is seen as a sort of home for her thoughts: “How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.” (l. 12)

Personification

In stanza 1, heaven is personified and given human traits. Of course, heaven is an abstract conce...