Structure
Form
“She Walks in Beauty” is a lyrical Romantic poem composed of three stanzas, each containing six lines, totaling 18 lines overall. This structure is typical of a traditional stanzaic form known as a sestet. The poem follows the form of a traditional ode, a lyrical poem that expresses praise or admiration for a subject—in this case, a beautiful woman whom the poet treats like a muse. Each stanza serves as a building block, expanding on the central theme of praising the woman's beauty and reaching a climax in the final stanza, where the poet pays tribute to her inner virtue.
Meter
The poem is written in iambic tetrameter, with each line consisting of four iambs. An iamb is a metrical foot consisting of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable. This creates a rhythmic flow that is both graceful and slightly melancholy, mirroring the night sky theme. There are a few deviations, including some lines with five iambs and a few mixed-foot variations, adding subtle complexity to the piece.
Rhyme Scheme
The poem consistently follows an ABAB rhyme scheme, meaning the first and third lines of each stanza rhyme, and the second and fourth lines rhyme. This simple yet effective pattern provides a regular sense of closure within each stanza while allowing for variety and musicality within the overall piece. The alternating rhyme pattern creates a sense of balance and unification, mirroring the symmetry and harmony of the woman's beauty that the speaker admires. Additionally, the rhyme scheme serves the poem thematically, emphasizing the interconnectedness of light and darkness, as well as beauty and grace.
