Who is the "beautiful woman" in the poem, Adam’s Curse?

The third companion is a “beautiful mild woman,” a “close friend” of the lover’s (Line 2). This is believed to represent Maud Gonne’s younger sister, Kathleen Pilcher. In the poem, the woman draws a comparison between the artistry of poetry and the artistry of feminine beauty — both require hard work in order to appear effortless. By drawing attention to these qualities within the woman, the poem positions her as a symbol of the wider idea that beauty is worthwhile yet fleeting.