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Thelad Posted 20 years ago

'La Belle Dame sans Merci'

I have to write a paper on the presentation of love in this poem. Please could i have some help as i'm not entirely sure whats going on...

Thanks

P.S the paper is in 4 friday
I.

O WHAT can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
Alone and palely loitering?
The sedge has wither’d from the lake,
And no birds sing.

II.

O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms! 5
So haggard and so woe-begone?
The squirrel’s granary is full,
And the harvest’s done.

III.

I see a lily on thy brow
With anguish moist and fever dew, 10
And on thy cheeks a fading rose
Fast withereth too.

IV.

I met a lady in the meads,
Full beautiful—a faery’s child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light, 15
And her eyes were wild.

V.

I made a garland for her head,
And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;
She look’d at me as she did love,
And made sweet moan. 20

VI.

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.

VII.

She found me roots of relish sweet, 25
And honey wild, and manna dew,
And sure in language strange she said—
“I love thee true.”

VIII.

She took me to her elfin grot,
And there she wept, and sigh’d fill sore, 30
And there I shut her wild wild eyes
With kisses four.

IX.

And there she lulled me asleep,
And there I dream’d—Ah! woe betide!
The latest dream I ever dream’d 35
On the cold hill’s side.

X.

I saw pale kings and princes too,
Pale warriors, death-pale were they all;
They cried—“La Belle Dame sans Merci
Hath thee in thrall!” 40

XI.

I saw their starved lips in the gloam,
With horrid warning gaped wide,
And I awoke and found me here,
On the cold hill’s side.

XII.

And this is why I sojourn here, 45
Alone and palely loitering,
Though the sedge is wither’d from the lake,
And no birds sing.
  

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I think.

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6 Answers
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The poem's title = "the beautiful lady without pity"

The poem is about a knight who has reappeared among humans after serving the Queen of Elfland for seven years...I think.
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isn't it about the futility/evil etc of love, written because of Keats' hard childhood? thats wat i was told but i need elaborations thnx 4 input tho
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Hi Anon,

If you read my other posts in this forum, you'll know I usually put a disclaimer: "I know next to nothing about poetry."

I posted my last contribution in a hurry and left it out. Anyway, I was told the poem is based on "True Thomas", which is about a knight and the Queen of Elfland.

For an analysis of the poem, try:
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I'm delighted to have found a post on this poem. I have this in my study too! Emotion: big smile
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(I am Thelad Emotion: stick out tongue but i cant log on...) benita, there doesnt seem 2 b much input...cld some1 plz help... i need it b4 tommoro
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Hi Thelad,

I've just begun study on this poem myself. So I did a little googling and came up with this site which I feel would be of help to you. Here's the link

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