Isabella and her pot of basil Flashcards
The first line of the poem describes Isabella as an innocent and weak character. She comes across as the tragic victim.
“Fair Isabel, poor simple Isabel!”
There’s a build up for a tragic downfall and a sense that the idea of order is going to be disrupted. (dramatic irony)
“With every morn their love grew tenderer, with every eve deeper and tender still;”
Physical Description of Isabella - comes across as somewhat intimate and sexual on Lorenzo’s part.
“But her full shape would all his seeing fill;”
Shows the purity of Isabella. That she is still sweet and innocents.
“Until sweet Isabella’s untouched cheek.”
Narrators voice (sort of sarcastic) appears to mock the romance between these two characters. The narration brings the reader out of the story.
Alas! When passion is both meek and wild!”
Contrast in nouns. Shows that not everything is perfect in this poem.
“A dreary night of love and misery,”
The first time Isabella speaks, also shows how they don’t communicate their love to one another. Adding to the romance factor of this poem.
“Lorenzo!’ - here she ceased her timid quest.”
Lorenzo’s confession of love - could be considered his hamartia. So this is a turning point within the poem.
“Believe how I love thee,”
Development in character, he gains confidence when confessing love.
“his erewhile timid lips grew bold,”
Their romance is used as a metaphor for their love.
“Grew, like a lusty flower, in June’s caress.”
Romantic imagery and description.
“The inward fragrance of each other’s heart.”
Lorenzo and Isabella’s love blinds them and how reality is nothing to them only love matters.
“Unknown of any, free from whispering tale.”
Narrator breaks the story again, stopping us from getting attached to the characters.
“Were they unhappy then? - it cannot be-“
Narrator commenting and mocking past love poems.
“Too many tears for lovers have been shed,”
Foreshadowing of what is to come within the poem.
“Know there is richest juice in poison-flowers.”
Introduction of the brother who can be considered to be the Tragic Villains within the story.
“With her two brothers this fair lady dwelt, enriched from ancestral merchandise.”
Suggestion that the brothers are either attractive or intimidating.
“And many once proud-quivering loins did melt.”
They had a plan to use Isabella to gain more wealth and have personal gain, they also consider her as weak.
“twas their plan to coax her by degrees to some high noble and his olive-trees.”
The brothers want Lorenzo to pay, for ruining their plan.
“To make the youngest for his crime atone;”
Blunt sentence contrasts the flowering language that is consistent throughout the poem.
“To kill Lorenzo, and there bury him.”
Shows Lorenzo innocents and blindness towards the brothers plotting. Serpents have religions connotations of temptation.
“Bowed a fair greeting to these serpents’ whine;”
Description as Isabella being happy, represents the clam before the storm.
“He saw her features bright.”
Use of dramatic irony, the audience know that they are not going to see each other again.
“I was in pain lest I should miss bid thee a good morrow:”
Brother’s disgust at Lorenzo’s love.
“sick and wan the brothers’ faces in the ford did seem.”
The natural environment has a purpose. Has bad connotation within this stanza.
“A forest quiet for the slaughter.”
Lorenzo is reduced to a dead man and becomes possession of the two brothers.
“So the two brother and their murdered man”
Blunt description of what happened. It isn’t dragged out.
“There was Lorenzo slain and buried in,”
Isabella is considered weak, and has been manipulated.
“Poor girl! put on thy stifling windows weed,”
Another description of Isabella being perfect and pretty.
“Spreading her perfect arms upon the air,”
Narrator interrupts the story and the flow.
“O misery!”
Good imagery.
“But selfishness, love’s cousin.”
Idea of tragedy being put out there.
“Came tragic - passion not to be subdued, and sorrow for her love in travels rude.”
Separation of the world of love and the real world.
“in torched mines and noisy factories”
