Introduction: “La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats
“La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats, first appeared in the journal The Indicator in 1820, and later reappeared in Keats’ 1820 collection Lamia, Isabella, The Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems. This ballad form, characterized by its narrative structure, simple language, and use of dialogue, aligns with the Romantic aesthetic, which emphasized emotion, nature, and the supernatural. Keats’ exploration of themes like love, loss, and longing, along with the poem’s haunting atmosphere and enigmatic female figure, have contributed to its enduring appeal and critical acclaim as a significant work in the English Romantic tradition.
Text: “La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats
O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
Alone and palely loitering?
The sedge has withered from the lake,
And no birds sing.
O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
So haggard and so woe-begone?
The squirrel’s granary is full,
And the harvest’s done.
I see a lily on thy brow,
With anguish moist and fever-dew,
And on thy cheeks a fading rose
Fast withereth too.
I met a lady in the meads,
Full beautiful—a faery’s child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
And her eyes were wild.
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
I set her on my pacing steed,
And nothing else saw all day long,
For sidelong would she bend, and sing
A faery’s song.
She found me roots of relish sweet,
And honey wild, and manna-dew,
And sure in language strange she said—
‘I love thee true’.
She took me to her Elfin grot,
And there she wept and sighed full sore,
And there I shut her wild wild eyes
With kisses four.
And there she lullèd me asleep,
And there I dreamed—Ah! woe betide!—
The latest dream I ever dreamt
On the cold hill side.
I saw pale kings and princes too,
Pale warriors, death-pale were they all;
They cried—‘La Belle Dame sans Merci
Thee hath in thrall!’
I saw their starved lips in the gloam,
With horrid warning gapèd wide,
And I awoke and found me here,
On the cold hill’s side.
And this is why I sojourn here,
Alone and palely loitering,
Though the sedge is withered from the lake,
And no birds sing.
Annotations: “La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats
| Stanza | Text | Annotation |
| 1 | O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, Alone and palely loitering? The sedge has withered from the lake, And no birds sing. | The speaker addresses a knight who looks ill and is wandering alone. The imagery of withered sedge and silent birds creates a desolate, lifeless setting. |
| 2 | O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, So haggard and so woe-begone? The squirrel’s granary is full, And the harvest’s done. | The speaker repeats the question, emphasizing the knight’s wretched appearance. The fullness of the squirrel’s granary and the completed harvest suggest the knight’s suffering is out of place in this season of abundance. |
| 3 | I see a lily on thy brow, With anguish moist and fever-dew, And on thy cheeks a fading rose Fast withereth too. | The knight’s pale brow and withering cheeks are compared to a lily and a fading rose, symbolizing sickness and impending death. |
| 4 | I met a lady in the meads, Full beautiful—a faery’s child, Her hair was long, her foot was light, And her eyes were wild. | The knight recounts meeting a beautiful lady in the meadows, described as ethereal and fairy-like, with long hair, a light step, and wild eyes. |
| 5 | 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 | The knight describes making a garland, bracelets, and a belt of flowers for the lady. Her loving look and moan suggest mutual affection and enchantment. |
| 6 | I set her on my pacing steed, And nothing else saw all day long, For sidelong would she bend, and sing A faery’s song. | The knight places the lady on his horse, and they spend the day together. She sings a magical, entrancing song, indicating her otherworldly nature. |
| 7 | She found me roots of relish sweet, And honey wild, and manna-dew, And sure in language strange she said— ‘I love thee true’. | The lady provides the knight with mysterious, possibly enchanted food, and declares her love in a strange language, deepening the sense of enchantment. |
| 8 | She took me to her Elfin grot, And there she wept and sighed full sore, And there I shut her wild wild eyes With kisses four. | The lady brings the knight to her fairy cave, where she weeps and sighs. The knight comforts her with kisses, showing their deep, yet sorrowful connection. |
| 9 | And there she lullèd me asleep, And there I dreamed—Ah! woe betide!— The latest dream I ever dreamt On the cold hill side. | The lady lulls the knight to sleep, and he has a prophetic dream filled with dread, suggesting something ominous about his situation. |
| 10 | I saw pale kings and princes too, Pale warriors, death-pale were they all; They cried—‘La Belle Dame sans Merci Thee hath in thrall!’ | In his dream, the knight sees pale, ghostly kings, princes, and warriors who warn him that he is enslaved by the beautiful lady without mercy. |
| 11 | I saw their starved lips in the gloam, With horrid warning gapèd wide, And I awoke and found me here, On the cold hill’s side. | The knight describes the horrifying vision of the dead men’s gaping mouths, waking up alone on the cold hillside, indicating the lady’s enchantment has left him abandoned. |
| 12 | And this is why I sojourn here, Alone and palely loitering, Though the sedge is withered from the lake, And no birds sing. | The knight concludes by explaining that this is why he remains alone and sorrowful, in a bleak, lifeless environment, under the lingering spell of the lady. |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats
| Literary/Poetic Device | Example from the Poem | Explanation |
| Alliteration | “Alone and palely loitering” | Repetition of initial consonant sounds (“l”) to create musicality and emphasize the knight’s isolation and weariness. |
| Anaphora | “O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,” (repeated twice) | Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses for emphasis. |
| Assonance | “And no birds sing” | Repetition of vowel sounds (“i”) to create internal rhyme and a sense of melancholy. |
| Ballad Stanza | Four-line stanzas with ABCB rhyme scheme | Traditional form for narrative poems, often with a simple, song-like quality. |
| Caesura | “And there I dreamed—Ah! woe betide!— “ | A pause or break within a line of poetry, often for emphasis or dramatic effect. |
| Diacope | “pale kings and princes too, / Pale warriors, death-pale were they all” | Repetition of a word with one or more words in between, emphasizing the paleness and otherworldly nature of the figures. |
| Enjambment | “For sidelong would she bend, and sing / A faery’s song” | The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, creating a sense of fluidity. |
| Imagery | “I see a lily on thy brow, / With anguish moist and fever dew” | Vivid descriptions that appeal to the senses, creating a picture in the reader’s mind. |
| Irony | “I love thee true” (said by the deceptive fairy) | The use of words to convey a meaning opposite to their literal meaning. |
| Metaphor | “And on thy cheeks a fading rose” | A comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.” |
| Personification | “The sedge has withered from the lake” | Giving human qualities to inanimate objects or abstract ideas. |
| Repetition | “Pale” (repeated multiple times) | The repeating of a word or phrase to emphasize a point or create a sense of rhythm. |
| Rhyme | “arms” and “alarms” | The repetition of similar sounds at the end of lines. |
| Simile | “Her hair was long, her foot was light” | A comparison between two unlike things using “like” or “as.” |
| Symbolism | “lily” (representing purity), “rose” (representing love) | The use of objects or images to represent abstract ideas. |
| Tone | Melancholy, haunting, eerie | The writer’s attitude towards the subject matter. |
| Allusion | “La Belle Dame sans Merci” (title, alluding to medieval French poetry) | An indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, or literary significance. |
| Hyperbole | “wild wild eyes” | An exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally. |
| Internal Rhyme | “I made a garland for her head, / And bracelets too, and fragrant zone” | Rhyme that occurs within a single line of verse. |
| Onomatopoeia | “gaped” (imitates the sound of a mouth opening wide) | The use of words that imitate sounds. |
Themes: “La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats
- Theme 1: The All-Consuming Nature of Love: The poem explores the theme of love as an overwhelming force that can consume an individual’s entire being. The knight is entranced by the beautiful lady, and his love for her becomes all-encompassing. He is “alone and palely loitering” (lines 1 and 13), suggesting that his love has isolated him from the world and drained him of his vitality. The lady’s eyes are “wild” (line 15), indicating a fierce and untamed passion that draws the knight in. The lines “She looked at me as she did love, / And made sweet moan” (lines 19-20) suggest a deep emotional connection that goes beyond words. The knight’s love is so intense that it becomes an all-consuming force, leading him to abandon all else for the lady.
- Theme 2: The Enchantment and Danger of the Unknown: The poem delves into the realm of the supernatural and the unknown, with the lady being described as a “faery’s child” (line 15). The knight is drawn into her mystical world, where she weeps and sighs “full sore” (line 33) and speaks in a “language strange” (line 35). The poem creates an atmosphere of enchantment and mystery, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. However, this enchantment comes with a warning, as the “pale kings and princes” (line 39) caution the knight that the lady has him “in thrall” (line 40). This suggests that the unknown can be both alluring and dangerous, and that one must be cautious when venturing into its realm.
- Theme 3: The Transience of Joy and Beauty: The poem highlights the fleeting nature of joy and beauty, as embodied by the withered sedge and the silence of the birds. The knight’s time with the lady is short-lived, and he is soon left alone on the “cold hill side” (line 42). The poem suggests that happiness is ephemeral and can quickly turn to sorrow. The lady’s beauty is also fleeting, as seen in the lines “I see a lily on thy brow, / With anguish moist and fever-dew, / And on thy cheeks a fading rose / Fast withereth too” (lines 9-12). This theme serves as a reminder to appreciate beauty while it lasts and to be prepared for its inevitable decline.
- Theme 4: The Dangers of Obsessive Desire: The poem explores the consequences of obsessive desire, as the knight’s all-consuming love for the lady leads to his downfall. The “pale kings and princes” (line 39) warn the knight that the lady has him “in thrall” (line 40), suggesting that his obsession has made him a captive to his own desires. The poem suggests that obsessive desire can lead to destruction, as the knight is left alone and bereft on the “cold hill side” (line 42). This theme serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of succumbing to one’s desires and the importance of maintaining a sense of balance and perspective in life.
Literary Theories and “La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats
| Literary Theory | Key Concepts | Evidence from the Poem |
| Romanticism | Emphasis on emotion, imagination, nature, and the supernatural. | * Emotion and Imagination: “O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, / Alone and palely loitering?” (Knight’s intense emotional state and dream-like encounter with the fairy) * Nature: “The sedge has withered from the lake, / And no birds sing.” (Bleak natural setting reflects the knight’s inner turmoil) * Supernatural: “I met a lady in the meads, / Full beautiful – a faery’s child” (Enigmatic fairy figure) |
| Psychoanalytic | Unconscious desires, dreams, symbolism, archetypes. | * Dreams: “And there I dreamed – Ah! woe betide! – / The latest dream I ever dreamt” (Dream as a manifestation of the knight’s unconscious desires and fears) * Femme Fatale: “La Belle Dame sans Merci / Thee hath in thrall!” (Fairy woman as an alluring yet destructive figure) * Oedipal Complex: “And there I shut her wild wild eyes / With kisses four.” (Ambiguous intimacy, potentially symbolizing a mother figure) |
| Feminist | Gender roles, power dynamics, objectification of women. | * Power Dynamics: “She looked at me as she did love, / And made sweet moan” (Fairy’s silence and passivity highlight a power imbalance) * Objectification: “Full beautiful – a faery’s child, / Her hair was long, her foot was light” (Focus on the fairy’s physical beauty through the male gaze) * Monstrous Feminine: “They cried—’La Belle Dame sans Merci / Thee hath in thrall!'” (Fairy blamed for the knight’s suffering, reinforcing harmful stereotypes) |
Critical Questions about “La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats
- What role does nature play in establishing the mood and setting of “La Belle Dame sans Merci”?
- In “La Belle Dame sans Merci,” nature is used extensively to set a somber and desolate mood. From the very beginning, Keats paints a picture of a barren landscape where “the sedge has withered from the lake, / And no birds sing” (Stanza 1). This imagery suggests a world devoid of life and vibrancy, mirroring the knight’s own lifeless and despondent state. The contrast between the natural world’s typical associations with life and growth and the bleak, lifeless scene Keats describes underscores the knight’s despair and the haunting effect of his encounter with the lady. This desolation is further emphasized when the squirrel’s granary is full, and the harvest is done, yet the knight remains “alone and palely loitering” (Stanza 2), highlighting the disconnect between the natural world’s cycles and his own stagnant condition.
- How does Keats use symbolism to convey the knight’s emotional and physical state?
- Symbolism is central in conveying the knight’s deteriorating condition in “La Belle Dame sans Merci.” The knight’s pallor is likened to a “lily on thy brow” (Stanza 3), a symbol of both purity and death, suggesting his impending demise or the draining of his vitality. His cheeks, described as having a “fading rose” (Stanza 3), reinforce the idea of lost vigor and beauty. These floral symbols of fading and withering reflect his encounter with the lady, whose initial allure has ultimately left him in a state of decay. The dream of “pale kings and princes” and “pale warriors” (Stanza 10), further symbolizes death and the ensnaring power of the lady, suggesting that the knight’s fate is sealed, just like those he saw in his vision.
- What is the significance of the knight’s dream in the poem, and how does it enhance the narrative?
- The knight’s dream is a crucial turning point in the poem, serving as both a revelation and a foreshadowing of his fate. In the dream, the knight sees “pale kings and princes too, / Pale warriors, death-pale were they all” (Stanza 10), who warn him that “La Belle Dame sans Merci” has him in her thrall. This vision reveals the lady’s true nature as a femme fatale who ensnares men, draining them of their vitality and leaving them to waste away. The dream heightens the sense of foreboding and inevitability, making it clear that the knight is not the first to fall victim to her enchantment. This shared fate among the pale figures he sees underscores the poem’s themes of love, death, and the supernatural, and deepens the tragedy of the knight’s condition by showing that his fate is part of a larger, inexorable pattern.
- How does Keats explore the theme of illusion versus reality in “La Belle Dame sans Merci”?
- Keats masterfully explores the theme of illusion versus reality through the knight’s encounter with the mysterious lady. The initial meeting is shrouded in an almost dream-like quality, with the lady being described as a “faery’s child” with “wild” eyes (Stanza 4), suggesting an ethereal and otherworldly presence. The idyllic moments they share, such as when she sings “a faery’s song” (Stanza 6), are contrasted sharply by the stark reality of the knight’s condition at the poem’s end. The enchantment and subsequent desolation highlight the transient nature of the lady’s allure and the devastating impact of mistaking illusion for reality. The knight’s experience serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of succumbing to enchanting illusions, which, although beautiful and alluring, ultimately lead to desolation and despair. The poem leaves readers questioning the nature of the lady’s love and whether the knight’s suffering is due to his own misguided perceptions or a genuine supernatural entrapment.
Literary Works Similar to “La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats
- “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge: Similarity: Both poems feature a protagonist who tells a cautionary tale about a haunting, supernatural experience that leaves them in a state of despair and isolation.
- “Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti: Similarity: Both works involve encounters with otherworldly, enchanting beings who tempt the protagonists, leading to dire consequences and a struggle to return to normalcy.
- “The Lady of Shalott” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson: Similarity: Both poems explore themes of isolation and unrequited love, with central female figures whose fates are intertwined with the supernatural and lead to tragic endings.
- “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge: Similarity: Both poems create vivid, dream-like atmospheres with enchanting and otherworldly imagery, exploring the themes of illusion versus reality and the fleeting nature of beauty.
- “Christabel” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge: Similarity: Both poems feature encounters with mysterious, supernatural women who have a profound and unsettling impact on the protagonists, highlighting themes of enchantment and ominous foreboding.
Suggested Readings: “La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats
Books:
- Bloom, Harold, ed. John Keats. Chelsea House Publishers, 1985.
- De Almeida, Hermione. Romantic Medicine and John Keats. Oxford University Press, 1991.
- Gittings, Robert. John Keats. Heinemann, 1968.
Scholarly Articles:
- Bate, Walter Jackson. “Keats’s ‘Belle Dame’.” The Sewanee Review, vol. 61, no. 4, 1953, pp. 531-553. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/27537406
- Weissman, Judith. “”Language Strange”:” La Belle Dame Sans Merci” and the Language of Nature.” Colby Quarterly 16.2 (1980): 4.
- Stillinger, Jack. “The Hoodwinking of Madeline and Other Symbolic Acts in Keats’s Poetry.” Studies in Philology, vol. 68, no. 4, 1971, pp. 433-453. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4173750
Representative Quotations of “La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats
| Quote | Context | Perspective |
| “O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, Alone and palely loitering?” | The poet asks the knight what is bothering him as he wanders alone. | The poet introduces the knight’s predicament. |
| “I see a lily on thy brow, With anguish moist and fever-dew, And on thy cheeks a fading rose Fast withereth too.” | The knight describes the lady’s beauty and how it is fading. | The knight is entranced by the lady’s beauty. |
| “I met a lady in the meads, Full beautiful—a faery’s child, Her hair was long, her foot was light, And her eyes were wild.” | The knight describes meeting the lady and her enchanting appearance. | The lady is enchanting and otherworldly. |
| “I saw pale kings and princes too, Pale warriors, death-pale were they all; They cried—‘La Belle Dame sans Merci Thee hath in thrall!’” | The knight sees the lady’s previous victims and they warn him about her. | The lady is dangerous and has the knight under her spell. |
| “And this is why I sojourn here, Alone and palely loitering, Though the sedge is withered from the lake, And no birds sing.” | The knight is still under the lady’s spell and is suffering as a result. | The knight is trapped by his love for the lady. |