SWIB- quote explanations

• “she walks in beauty, like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies”

  • suggests subtle elegance and beauty
  • adjective ‘cloudless’ could suggest perfection
  • stars seen as beautiful but distant implying he will admire her from afar and be distant
  • ’stars’ could make reference to the sequins on the mourning dress she was wearing
• “meet in her aspect and her eyes”

  • her exterior beauty shows off the balance of light and dark.
  • Everything about her is in harmony and she is complete perfection.
  • It is as if she creates the harmony because she is so perfect.
• “which heaven to gaudy day denies”

  • Her light is so heavenly and so good that humans do not even have the privilege of this.
  • She is so beautiful that she’s angelic.
  • Her natural beauty is beyond that of the world and it is like she came from heaven, and the earth is not even worthy of her presence. 
• “one ray the less, had half impaired the nameless grace”

  • cant express in words how beautiful she is
  • almost defeated the poet and his art
  • everything about her is complete perfection
• “where thoughts serenely sweet express”

  • She has moral goodness as well as physical beauty.
  • Her moral goodness is so good that she is the dwelling place of beautiful thoughts.
  • Her beauty is throughout, much more than skin deep, inside as well as outside. 
  • Use of sibilance make these lines sound soothing – just like her “sweet” thoughts and “soft” smiles.
• “a mind at peace with all below”

  • She spends all of her days in goodness, carrying out good deeds and helping others.
  • She is angelic and heavenly and she looks down on all humanity, however, she doesn't think that she is better than others. 
  • could be making reference to her deceased husband who is buried ‘below’