Byron's "Darkness" vs. "She Walks in Beauty": A Contrast

Introduction: Two Worlds in Byron's Poetry

In contrast to the pleasant and romantic world depicted in "She Walks in Beauty," Lord Byron illustrates a dark, cold, and hopeless world in "Darkness." "Darkness" is an elaborately detailed poem that remains a testament to Byron's flexibility as a poet. When one considers the personal and external forces at work in Byron's life at the time of its composition, it becomes easier to understand how he could so masterfully create a world full of despair — one so far removed from the world he illustrated in "She Walks in Beauty."

By the time "Darkness" was published, Byron was already established as a poet whose talent covered a wide range (Bartleby). "She Walks in Beauty" was written in 1814 and is presumably addressed to Mrs. Robert John Wilmot, Byron's cousin (Wu 668). Although only two years separate the two poems, there were forces other than love that were influencing Byron's life during those years. History provides a broader understanding of the meaning of "Darkness."

David Perkins states in English Romantic Writers that "Darkness" was probably inspired by Mary Shelley's The Last Man, published in 1806 (Perkins 795). Another consideration for Byron's inspiration is Vathek, the "notoriously decadent oriental tale by William Beckford," which was published in 1786. Byron was apparently a fan of the novel. According to Cox and Snodgrass, Vathek, at least in part, inspired "Darkness" (Romantic Circles).

Historical and Literary Context of 'Darkness'

Byron's poem "Darkness" was written in 1816, following a volcanic eruption that temporarily altered the world's weather patterns. "Byron seems not only a poet of his past and present, but of our terrifying future" (Cox). This is verified in Robock's account of volcanic eruptions, in which he goes on to explain that he believes the first fifteen lines of the poem deal specifically with the effects that such an eruption — or a similar one — would produce. Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein also speaks of the gloomy weather that persisted for days during this period (Shelley xxii), which makes Byron's portrayal all the more striking when considered alongside these real-world atmospheric conditions.

It is also important to note that Byron was going through a separation from his wife at this time, which could partially explain the desolate picture of the future he paints in "Darkness." Due to growing rumors and constant hounding by the press, Byron fled England (Martin 209). When all of these factors are taken into consideration, it is no wonder that Byron crafted such a dismal poem. By employing chilling imagery and selecting conscious detail, Byron allows the reader to see his interpretation of the end of the world.

The bright sky that was once present in "She Walks in Beauty" no longer exists — in fact, it is no longer extant. Byron explains that "The bright sun was extinguish'd, and the stars / Did wander darkling in the eternal space" (Abrams 510; 2–3). In addition, the "cloudless climes and starry skies" once celebrated in "She Walks in Beauty" are replaced with a sun that is "rayless" and "pathless." Byron's "Darkness" employs stark contrasts to envision the end of the world (Leung 458), and the poem is filled with the opposite feelings from those expressed in the earlier, more romantic lyric.

Volcanic Eruption and Personal Turmoil

The feeling of desolation is reinforced by mankind burning whatever they can find in a desperate search for light. Byron states that "they did live by watchfires" (10) and "Happy were those who dwelt within the eye / Of the volcanoes, and their mountain-torch" (16–17). In his vision, "Forests were set on fire" (19) and the people "fed / Their funeral piles with fuel" (27–28). Yet none of this kept the light for long, and despite all their efforts, "all was black" (21). By focusing on the darkness, Byron successfully creates within the reader a profound sense of gloom.

The darkness drains mankind of all hope as Byron describes "The brows of men by the despairing light / Wore an unearthly aspect, as by fits / The flashes fell upon them — some lay down / And hid their eyes and wept" (22–25). As the poem progresses, Byron depicts human nature sinking into a fallen state until "no love was left" (41) and "All earth was but one thought — and that was death, / Immediate and inglorious" (42–43). This scenario becomes even more harrowing as men, starved by hunger, die while their "bones were tombless as their flesh" (44–45).

In his vision of the apocalypse, Byron tells of two surviving groups who build an altar and pile holy things upon it for an "unholy purpose" (60). In this dramatic scene, the two groups set everything ablaze, and when they see what they have done, they die. Byron tells the reader: "The world was void, / The populous and the powerful was a lump, / Seasonless, herbless, treeless, manless, lifeless — / A lump of death — a chaos of hard clay" (69–73). Byron concludes with these devastating lines:

The waves were dead; the tides were in their grave,
The Moon, their mistress, had expired before;
The winds were wither'd in the stagnant air,
And the clouds perish'd; Darkness had no need
Of aid from them — She was the Universe! (78–82)

Conclusion: Byron's Range as a Poet

Wu, Duncan. Romanticism. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 1998.