‘La Belle Dam sans Merci’ – John Keats

Question 1

what is the general over view for ‘La Belle Dam sans Merci’

Answer 1

Title translates to ‘the beautiful lady without mercy’
Keats depicts a conversation between the speaker and a knight who becomes bewitched by a femme fatale who puts him to sleep where he dreams of noblemen being destroyed by the love of the woman before he is the left alone on a hill.
Keats uses the poem to comment on his personal health and family life.

Question 2

what are the Key themes in ‘La Belle Dam sans Merci’

Answer 2

• Fear of the supernatural
• Temptation
• Power imbalances
  In a relationship
  Femme fatale

Question 3

what are some language points in the poem ‘La Belle Dam sans Merci’

Answer 3

“no birds sing” “harvest is done”
Pathetic fallacy to show how the knight is disorientated
“a lily on thy brow” “on thy cheek a fading rose”
Imagery of flowers capturing his pale appearance.
“long… light… wild”
The tricolon of adjectives uses liquid alliteration / assonance to evoke the lady’s soft beauty
“roots of relish sweet…”
tricolon which suggests intoxication the knight suffers.
“wild wild eyes”
Repetition – more ominous
“pale… pale… death-pale”
The barren hinterland he now inhabits is reinforced by this echoing repetition.

Question 4

What are some form points in the poem ‘La Belle Dam sans Merci’

Answer 4

Ballad – narrative poem to tell a story
Quatrains + a song like quality
Rhyme scheme of ABCB

Question 5

What other poems does ‘La Belle Dam sans Merci’ link to ?

Answer 5

‘piano’ – power of a much loved woman controlling a man
‘sonnet 116’ – different descriptions of love
‘the tyger’ – depicting powerful forces beyond nature
‘my last duchess’ – different view on gender relationships and power.