She Walks in Beauty Appearances Quotes

How we cite our quotes: I cite by line number only in this module.

Quote #4

One shade the more, one ray the less, (line 7)

This line is perfectly balanced, just like the woman's beauty. There's a repeated structure, divided by a comma in the middle of the line – the comma is like a pivot point. You've got two sets of opposites ("shade" and "ray," "more" and "less") that are balanced on either side of that comma.

Quote #5

Which waves in every raven tress, (line 9)

No wonder he's comparing the woman to "night" instead of to "a summer's day" – this lady is a brunette, so it makes sense to compare her darker coloring to "night."

Quote #6

The smiles that win, the tints that glow, (line 15)

Her "smiles" and "tints," or blushes, come and go – obviously they're not permanently etched on her face. And that dynamism, or changeability, is part of what makes her so beautiful.