Souer Louise De La Misericorde

Question 1

What is the context for this poem and what is it about?

Answer 1

This is told from perspective of Louise de la Valliere, a 17th century Frenchwomen, one of Louis XIV’s mistresses until she gave up life at court for a convent.
The poem is about the remnants of broken love and the after effects of desire and vanity.

Question 2

When was this poem published and in what collection?

Answer 2

Published in the 1881 poetry collection ‘ A Pageant and Other poems’

Question 3

What are the main themes in this poem?

Answer 3

Pain and futility of desire

Question 4

What is the rhyme scheme of this poem?

Answer 4

1st 3 stanzas follow ABBAB rhyme scheme, A rhyme change from stanza to stanza, B rhyme stays the same.
Last stanza is AAAAA— forceful and urgent.

Question 5

What is the form of this poem?

Answer 5

Made of 20 lines of iambic pentameter, arranged in 4 quatrains.

Question 6

What is the meter of this poem?

Answer 6

Written in iambic pentameter, with occasional trochee in line 7/8 e.g