Lines 1 and 2 introduce the two opposing forces in the
poem, darkness and light, by telling us the night is clear with bright stars. Lines 3
and 4 tell us how these two opposite forces "meet" in her. meaning that she is able to
bring them together within her, as is seen in her outward appearance as well as in her
eyes, her inward heart and soul. In lines 5 and 6, the speaker tells us that
when darkness and light join together in this beautiful woman, they produce a softness,
a "tender light" in her, not like the light of day, but softer and better. In lines
7-10, the poet again combines opposites, such as her dark hair ("raven tress") and her
lightened face. Even if she weren't proportioned just right, she would still be half
magnificent. Again, he is talking about both inner and outer beauty, as he refers to the
"nameless grace" in the lady's hair and face. Lines 11 and 12 refer to the woman's
thoughts and how pure her mind is. Lines 13-18 are the conclusion of the poem where the
poet writes three lines about the woman's beauty and three lines that tell about her
character. Her physical beauty is a result of doing good deeds and leads to her having a
pure mind and giving heart.
The themes of the poem deal
with harmony and perfection. The opposing forces which normally are unable to exist
together can do so in the beautiful woman. They live in peace and harmony. Together,
these opposites produce perfection. She is perfect in her appearance and in her
personality. The woman's beauty comes from her thoughts and innocent mind. Her inward
self creates the beauty in her outward appearance.
No comments:
Post a Comment