Quotes and Analysis

Question 1

What quotation creates a cyclical narrative and shows that the story is folklore and that the ritual may live on, using the comparison of the Beadsman’s ashes to the chapels in the exposition?

Answer 1

“The Beadsman, after thousand aves told, for aye unsought for slept among his ashes cold”

Question 2

What quotation uses repetitive supernatural imagery to create a dream-like image so that the listener cannot tell the difference between dreams and reality?

Answer 2

“They glide, like phantoms, into the wide hall: like phantoms, to the iron porch, they glide”

Question 3

In what quotation does connotations of sex create the idea/ambiguity and astronomical depictions that Porphyro rapes Madeline, which could also be in recognition of Madeline’s dreams?

Answer 3

“Ethereal, flush’d, and like a throbbing star seen mid the sapphire heaven’s deep response”

Question 4

Where is there an intertextual link between Keats’ poems that gives off the impression that Porphyro’s feelings are the same as the knights in La Belle Dame Sans Merci?

Answer 4

“He play’d an ancient ditty, long since mute, in Provence call’d, ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’”

Question 5

What shift in perspective shows Porphyro devoting himself biblically to Madeline using biblical analogy and a metaphor?

Answer 5

“And now, my love, my seraph fair, awake! Thou art my heaven, and I thine eremite”

Question 6

What is Seraphin?

Answer 6

the highest order of the angels, Porphyro uses this to call Madeline an angel: “My seraph fair”

Question 7

What is meant by “eremite”?

Answer 7

It is a Christian hermit; used by Porphyro to show he is devoting himself to Madeline

Question 8

What quotation uses supernatural imagery to create ambiguity as to whether or not Porhyro wants Madeline to wake up when he presents her with a riches?

Answer 8

“Woven crimson, gold and jet:- O for some drowsy Morpean amulet”

Question 9

Why would Porphyro potentially not want to wake Madeline up?

Answer 9

It is suggested that he may want to conduct a sexual act on her

Question 10

What quotation uses the contextual nature of drug use to show that Madeline’s dreams take her away from reality?

Answer 10

“Until the poppied warmth of sleep oppress’d”

Question 11

What do “poppies” represent?

Answer 11

Opium which is in heroine and morphine

Question 12

What quotation uses a simile and jewelled imagery to create the idea that Madeline is like a goddess and compares her to a saint, maybe St. Agnes?

Answer 12

“Silver cross soft amethyst, and on her hair a glory, like a saint: she seemed a splendid angel”

Question 13

What is the effect of Madeline being compared to St. Agnes?

Answer 13

It suggests she was raped or attemptedly raped by Porphyro

Question 14

What quotation uses intertextuality to Ovid Metamorphoses to refer to Madeline’s speechlessness and suggest rape?

Answer 14

“Her throat in vain, and die, heart-stifled, in her dell”

Question 15

Madeline is not portrayed as holy due to her love for Porphyro. What quote shows that the room is holy but not Madeline?

Answer 15

“The maiden’s chamber, silken, hush’d, and chaste”

Question 16

What quotation uses the story of Merlin as a metaphor for Porphyro giving all of his responsibility to Angela, showing betrayal?

Answer 16

“Since Merlin paid his demon all the monstrous debt”

Question 17

What Biblical analogy shows Porphyro to put Angela in a poor position to get what he wants, creating ambiguity around the fact that he deceives her or he convinces her?

Answer 17

“I will not harm her by all the saints I swear”

Question 18

What quotation uses a simile and allusion of flowers to create a further contrast of dreams and reality and use “purple” to connote sex?

Answer 18

“Like a full-blown rose […] made purple riot”

Question 19

Give a quotation that uses the motif of light to represent Porphyro’s hope for a relationship with Madeline?

Answer 19

“He found him in a moonlight room”

Question 20

When is light not apparent in the poem?

Answer 20

There is no moonlight when Porphyro is not present, shown when he hides in her closet

Question 21

What quotation shows Angela to be wise, like a godmother, and could be shown to have granted Porphyro’s wishes of being with Madeline?

Answer 21

“Ah, happy chance! The aged creature came, shuffling along with ivory-headed wand”

Question 22

How is Angela shown to be a godmother-like figure?

Answer 22

Angela=Angel
She is shown to grant Porphyro’s wishes of him being with Madeline and protect Porphyro

Question 23

What example of synaesthesia shows Porphyro’s deep infatuation with Madeline and uses a metaphor to show that if anyone found out they would end his dreams and his life, and life without Madeline is not worth living?

Answer 23

“All eyes be muffled, or a hundred swords will storm his heart”

Question 24

What quotation illustrates a shift in focus to Madeline, who’s attitude contrasts that of everyone else at the party?

Answer 24

“Turn, sole-thoughted, to one lady there, whose heart had brooded”

Question 25

What are the two uses of sibilance in: “The silver, snarling trumpets ‘gan to chide”?

Answer 25

• An abrasive sound contrasts the silence of the chapel
• creates an image of snakes, relating to the upper class at the party

Question 26

What quotation uses caesura to intensify the foreshadowing of the Beadsman’s death, anticipating it in the final stanza?

Answer 26

“But no- already had his deathbed rung”

Question 27

What quotation introduces the Beadsman and connotes a rich family who mistreat him?

Answer 27

“Numb were the Beadsman’s fingers”