Lamia Quotes

Question 1

“Your soul in mine, and labyrinth you there”

Answer 1

Lycius to Lamia

• displays his desire to violently assert control over Lamia and rob her of her agency
• the metaphor of “labyrinth” symbolizes a lifestyle where Lamia is hidden and suppressed under the patriarchal control of Lycius
• the absence of Lamia’s voice following this suggests that he has succeeded in robbing her of her agency

Question 2

“With pain [beseeches] him”

Answer 2

• presents her discomfort and “pain” after being ‘silenced’ by Lycius
• contrasts with her previous animal form as a “smooth-lipped serpent” who has the ability to manipulate and infantilize Lycius as “there… he stood, he heard a mournful voice, illustrating her previous power over him to capitalize on his naivety

Question 3

“Luxurious in her sorrows, soft and new”

Answer 3

• once Lamia gained her “woman’s form”, she gave up her power and devoted herself to her human form
• this human form subsequently forces her to conform to the patriarchal standard of the “soft”, subdue woman
• readers witness her agency being taken away from her, and she had more agency/freedom in her animal form than her human form

Question 4

“His eyes had her drunk up”

Answer 4

• Lycius about Lamia
• metaphor conveys Lycius’ tragic flaw of lust - as he was so attracted to the appearance of Lamia’s “woman’s form”, he was blind to her manipulation, allowing her to continue concealing her “serpent” form
• consequently died - “by blinded Lycius”

Question 5

“His foolish heart from its mad pompousness”

Answer 5

Line 525

• criticism from Keats - ridiculing Lycius about his “pompousness”/hubris that allowed him to get blinded by lust

Question 6

“Won his heart more pleasantly by playing woman’s part”

Answer 6

Lamia using Lycius’ lust over her appearance to deceit him

Question 7

“Lamia’s self, appear… will make Elysian shades not too fair, too divine”

Answer 7

• the delusion will only lead to their tragic, inevitable fate once the truth is revealed
• Lamia and Lycius are getting closer to Heaven/death - shows that they are victims - vulnerability and pitiable
• temporary liberation of their dream/fantasy world

Question 8

“As men talk in a dream, so Corinth all”

Answer 8

Setting shift to Corinth

Fantasy/dream world with “temples lewd” - sexual

Question 9

“Wide-spreaded night above her towers”

Answer 9

Dream state is so grand - easy to get lost in it/too immersed in the love that has an inevitable tragic fate

Darkness hangs over the city - facade to cover the mystery of the city - it is built off of Lamia’s lies/secrets