La Belle Dame Sans Merci

Question 1

“O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, / Alone and palely loitering?”

Answer 1

The poem opens with a question, immediately creating an atmosphere of mystery and melancholy. The knight’s isolation and “pale” appearance suggest both physical and emotional deterioration. The phrase “loitering” implies aimlessness, reflecting a loss of purpose or vitality, possibly caused by unrequited love or enchantment.
The direct address (“O”) heightens the emotional intensity, drawing the reader into the knight’s plight. Keats uses this opening to establish the Romantic theme of the destructive power of love and the lingering effects of obsession.

Question 2

“Her hair was long, her foot was light, / And her eyes were wild.”

Answer 2

This description of the mysterious woman emphasizes her ethereal beauty and otherworldly qualities.
The imagery of “long hair” and “light foot” creates an idealized vision of femininity, while her “wild” eyes introduce an unsettling element, hinting at her untamed, dangerous nature.
The juxtaposition of beauty and wildness reflects the Romantic fascination with the sublime—an experience that is both awe-inspiring and terrifying. Her “wild” eyes foreshadow her role as a femme fatale, whose allure leads to the knight’s downfall.

Question 3

“I made a garland for her head, / And bracelets too, and fragrant zone; / She looked at me as she did love, / And made sweet moan.”

Answer 3

This stanza captures the knight’s romantic idealization of the woman and their seemingly intimate connection.
The act of making a “garland” and “bracelets” symbolizes the knight’s devotion and submission to her.
However, the phrase “as she did love” introduces ambiguity, suggesting that her feelings might not be genuine.
The “sweet moan” could reflect pleasure, but it also carries connotations of manipulation or seduction. Keats presents love as deceptive, emphasizing the knight’s vulnerability and foreshadowing his eventual despair.

Question 4

“And there she lulled me asleep, / And there I dreamed-Ah! woe betide!— / The latest dream I ever dreamed / On the cold hill’s side.”

Answer 4

The act of the woman lulling the knight to sleep signifies a loss of control, as he succumbs to her enchantment.
The repetition of “dreamed” blurs the line between reality and illusion, reflecting the knight’s confusion and helplessness.
The exclamation “Ah! woe betide!” conveys his anguish as he realizes the dire consequences of his encounter.
The contrast between the warmth of the dream and the coldness of the hill symbolizes the transition from enchantment to desolation, emphasizing the fleeting nature of beauty and love.

Question 5

“And this is why I sojourn here, / Alone and palely loitering, / Though the sedge is withered from the lake, / And no birds sing.”

Answer 5

The knight’s repetition of the opening imagery reinforces the cyclical nature of his suffering, suggesting he is trapped in an endless state of despair.
The “withered” sedge and absence of singing birds symbolize death, decay, and the loss of vitality, reflecting the aftermath of his encounter with the mysterious woman.
The word “sojourn” implies a temporary stay, yet the tone suggests an eternal limbo.
Keats portrays love as a destructive force that isolates and drains life, resonating with the Romantic theme of the darker side of human emotions.

Question 6

Form

Answer 6

1. Ballad Form:
   • The poem is a traditional ballad, which is a narrative poem typically written in short stanzas and intended to tell a story.
   • Keats uses quatrains (four-line stanzas) with an ABCB rhyme scheme, creating a simple, musical rhythm that echoes folk traditions.
   • This choice of form reinforces the timeless and universal nature of the tale, resembling a cautionary fable or myth.
2. Fragmented Voice:
   • The poem alternates between the narrator and the knight, emphasizing the fragmented and ambiguous nature of the knight’s story. This lack of resolution reflects the Romantic preoccupation with mystery and the unknowable.

Question 7

Structure

Answer 7

1. Circular Structure:
   • The poem begins and ends with the image of the knight “alone and palely loitering.” This cyclical structure reflects the knight’s entrapment in his despair, suggesting he is doomed to endlessly relive his experience.
   • The repetition of the “withered sedge” and the desolate setting reinforces the sense of stagnation and decay.
2. Interruption of Narrative:
   • The poem opens with the narrator’s question, creating immediate intrigue. The knight’s reply unfolds the story in a flashback, which heightens the mystery as the reader pieces together what happened.
3. Pacing and Tension:
   • The use of short, simple lines builds tension and keeps the story focused. Key moments, like the knight’s dream and awakening, are emphasized through shifts in tone and rhythm.

Question 8

Context

Answer 8

• Written in 1819, this poem reflects Keats’ awareness of his own mortality.
Suffering from tuberculosis, he explored themes of death, unfulfilled love, and the fleeting nature of life.
• The knight’s decline mirrors Keats’ own struggles, as he felt “ensnared” by both his illness and his unattainable desires

Question 9

Themes

Answer 9

Unreciprocated love
Impossible love
Illness
Control
Loss
Power of love
Danger of love