La Belle Dame Sans Merci

?
  • Created by: emi_2111
  • Created on: 05-06-21 16:01
View mindmap
  • La Belle Dame Sans Merci
    • "Knight-at-arms"
      • Introduction of the tragic hero
      • The knight is of high status
        • Intensifies downfall?
    • "Alone and palely loitering"
      • The knight has 'given up'
        • Lost his purpose and status as a knight
      • Connotations of death and the supernatural in "palely"
    • "And on thy cheeks a fading rose fast withered too"
      • Suggests the knight is slowly dying
        • "fading rose" implies colour draining from face?
      • Natural imagery
        • "rose" -meaning love and secrecy
    • "I made a garland for her head, and bracelets too, and fragrant zone"
      • Given up his masculinity?
      • Childlike behaviour - 'making garlands'
      • "fragrant zone" - sexual reference?
    • "I met a lady in the meads, full A faery's child"
      • Introduction of the major turning point in the knights story
      • Implies the introduction of fantastical/supernatural elements and possible villain of the story
      • "child" could indicate that La Belle Dame is a young girl?
    • "And nothing else saw all day long"
      • Exposes the knight's obsession with La Belle Dame
        • Suggests his hamartia as a 'tragic hero' is his infatuation with La Belle Dame
    • "And there she wept and sighed full sore"
      • Could La Belle Dame be a victim of the knights story?
        • "wept" and "sore"
      • Infers that the knight may actually be the villain of the poem
        • Following the theory that the knight may actually be forcing physical contact onto La Belle Dame
    • "And sing a faery's song"
      • Suggests that La Belle Dame is a supernatural being
      • "Faery" - often described as innocent and harmless creatures (supporting the theory that the knight is actually the villain
    • "I saw pale kings and princes too"
      • Realisation of his mistake
      • La Belle's victims - all from high status and men
        • anti-capitalist?
        • feminist?
      • Reference to the start of the poem - "palely"
        • Could the knight be dead? - liminal stage/zone?
    • "And there she lulled me asleep"
      • Change of focus - "she"
      • Implies a change in control/ dominace between characters
    • "And there I shut her wild eyes with kisses four"
      • La Belle is described as innocent and young
      • The idea that the knight wants to control/ dominate La Belle
        • Villainous traits?
    • "On the cold hill's side"
      • Juxtapostion to the "elfin grot" - "cold" and harsh reality that the knight faces

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar English Literature resources:

See all English Literature resources »See all John Keats resources »