Isabella; or, The Pot of Basil Flashcards
John Keats
Who says this;
What does it show?
“It came”
Narrator (about Lorenzo):
In life he had no identity as he was a servant and now even in death he is no one, as he is a ghost.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“Today we purpose”
Lorenzo:
Myopia/hamartia - the brothers invite him out and as he is a servant he cannot say no and cannot therefore escape his imminent death.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“Shed one tear upon my heather-bloom, and it shall comfort me within the tomb”
Lorenzo;
Myopia/hamartia - if he loves her truly would he put her through the distress and pain?
Who says this;
What does it show?
“‘Love, Isabel!’ said he, ‘I was in pain lest I should miss to bid thee a good morrow”
Lorenzo:
He wants her to know that he is consumed by her and without her love he would die.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“Young palmer (…) they could not in the same mansion dwell”
Lorenzo:
Shows his devotion to Isabella (whose name means worshipper) as a palmer in the Medieval Era was a person who made a religious pilgrimage across a desert - has parallels to Romeo and Juliet, “holy palmers kiss” and it also shows social class and the idea of forbidden love and the traditional outcome surrounding said relationship.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“Whose gentleness did well accord with death, as life”
Isabella:
Myopia - shows how she still thinks that Lorenzo is beautiful, even in death, indication of her insanity.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“Vespers”
Isabella:
Megalopsychia - shows her greatness of soul through praying.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“But in peace hung over her sweet basil evermore”
Isabella:
The only thing that calms her but also increases her insanity. Juxtaposing ideas.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“What feverous hectic flame burns in thee, child?”
Maid (about Isabella):
The fricative sounds create tension and shows how bizarre her actions are.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“And Isabella on its music hung”
Narrator (about Isabella):
Hamartia - she describes Lorenzo’s ghost in a musical manner, if she had ignored it she wouldn’t have gone insane.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“Dismal labouring…she kneeled…three hours they laboured”
Narrator (about Isabella):
Notion that Isabella is giving birth to insanity, giving birth to what she’ll devote her life to - the basil pot.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“Good bye! She said”
Isabella:
Myopia - ironic as she is saying goodbye forever, though she is naively unaware of all the tragedy to come.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“With her two brothers this fair lady dwelt”
Narrator (about Isabella):
Pathos - reminder of her moral goodness, which creates pity and juxtaposes the description of her brothers.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“Ah! This is holiday to what was felt when Isabella by Lorenzo knelt”
Narrator (about Isabella):
Megalopsychia - she wants to lay his soul to rest. She is much more/worse as Lorenzo was taken unnaturally/prematurely by her brothers.
Who says this;
What does it show?
“With duller steel than the Persean sword they cut”
Isabella:
Shows her determination as it depicts a gory ordeal to move Lorenzo’s head.
