Examine the View that Byron’s Presentation of Love is Purely Superficial

Throughout the duration of the poem, Byron employs vivid imagery in order to exaggerate the the beauty of his subject. This, combined with the lack of focus on anything beyond beauty, implies that the love presented by the speaker is of a purely superficial nature. Despite the fact that outward appearances had greater significance in the 19th Century, it cannot be denied that the focus on image is almost excessive in the narrative. For instance, at the commencement of the poem, Byron reflects on the woman’s beauty with phrases such as: ‘how pure, how dear,’ and ‘so soft, so calm.’ The quantifier 'so' used here acts to further exaggerate the extent of the woman's excessive serenity and beauty. A feminist critic would note that this reflects the conventions of the time, especially concerning the belief that beauty derived from purity and innocence, which are presented as valuable traits via affectionate language. Even the title suggests that a superficial sense of beauty will have a prominent reside over the narrative. By presenting a women’s beauty as something revered and definitive, Byron is depicting the concept that love is purely superficial, especially since he fails to interpret her personality. This is highly typical of romantic poets, and aligns in tone to other works from the era, such as the Flea by John Donne. Like Donne, Byron seemingly denies the woman in the poem any kind of voice or sense of expression beyond her objectified sexuality. Therefore, the reader can deduce that his presentation of love is superficial and predominantly, if not totally, upon the basis of image.