Shelby L. Rayburn
Dr. Zani
ENGL 4392.01
24 April, 2014
The Virgin and the Whore: An Analysis of Keats’s Madeline in “The Eve of Saint Agnes”
Readers of Keats’ poetry have long spoken of the enchanting power of his language, and in one of his most famous works, “The Eve of St. Agnes”; the reader is positively enchanted by the protagonist, Madeline. She’s pure, virginal, positively otherworldly, and “seem’d a splendid angel, newly drest” (Keats 77). Madeline also displays trappings of religious symbols throughout the work. She is called a “Mission’d spirit and a “seraph fair” (Keats 72-3). The reader could scarcely read the poem without immediately associating Madeline with the most divine cherubs in Heaven. Her virginity is repeatedly mentioned and referenced; even her room, or the maiden’s chamber, is “silken, hush’d, and chaste” (Keats 76). Young Porphyro with “heart on fire” for Madeline simply couldn’t resist this angel (Keats 71). One might connect that, similarly, young John Keats could not resist his own angel, Fanny Brawne. At the time of the composition of “The Eve of St. Agnes” Keats was heavy in the thralls of his engagement to Fanny. In her book, John Keats: The Making of a Poet, Aileen Ward proclaims “The Eve of St. Agnes” to be "the first confident flush of [Keats's] love for Fanny Brawne" (Ward 310). However, if Madeline is meant to be a manifestation of Fanny Brawne, Keats must not think of his fiancé as merely an angel, but something more.
Superficially, Madeline is only an angelic figure, but what is overlooked in a purely angelic reading of Madeline is the split image of one character with two distinct aspects, one virginal and pure, the other seductive and powerful. Madeline is not only a heavenly, ...
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... the tortured, awkward artist. That is not to suggest that Madeline is some sort of bubbly hipster, she is portrayed as a sweet angel. She isn’t delightfully flawed like the MPDG oftentimes is, struggling with adorable “clumsiness”, which is supposed to make the audience relate to the bubbly girl. Madeline is perfect and chaste, while also a fearsome mermaid who seduces Porphyro. This is arguably though another false expression of what female characters and actual females are, only in 19th century, Romantic version. For centuries male filmmakers, writers, painters, artists of all kinds have often cited women as the inspiration for their brilliant masterpieces. Keats himself refers to his own Fanny Brawne, “My sweet creature. I wander at the Beauty which has kept up the spell so fervently” (Keats 1). Invoking Fanny as his muse is
what the reader once thought of Dorothea, a woman of dignity, into a naive child.
Keats’ poetry explores many issues and themes, accompanied by language and technique that clearly demonstrates the romantic era. His poems ‘Ode to a Nightingale’ and ‘Bright Star’ examine themes such as mortality and idealism of love. Mortality were common themes that were presented in these poems as Keats’ has used his imagination in order to touch each of the five senses. He also explores the idea that the nightingale’s song allows Keats to travel in a world of beauty. Keats draws from mythology and christianity to further develop these ideas. Keats’ wrote ‘Ode To A Nightingale’ as an immortal bird’s song that enabled him to escape reality and live only to admire the beauty of nature around him. ‘Bright Star’ also discusses the immortal as Keats shows a sense of yearning to be like a star in it’s steadfast abilities. The visual representation reveal these ideas as each image reflects Keats’ obsession with nature and how through this mindset he was able
Both La Belle and Catherine have an illusional, captivating appearance that charms Heathcliff and the Knight, yet reality strikes when their true personalities are shown through their wild, dangerous nature that’s personified by gothic surroundings. La Belle is described as, “Full beautiful—a fairy’s child, her hair was long, her foot was light, and her eyes were wild.” (14, 15, 16)
Keats, John. "39. The Eve of St. Agnes ." John Keats (1795–1821). The Poetical Works of John Keats. 1884.. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct 2010. .
The speaker begins the poem an ethereal tone masking the violent nature of her subject matter. The poem is set in the Elysian Fields, a paradise where the souls of the heroic and virtuous were sent (cite). Through her use of the words “dreamed”, “sweet women”, “blossoms” and
The social identity that Lily projects represents one of her selves, the jeune fille à marrier. When discussing how Lily develops her attributes in...
John Clare’s “An Invite to Eternity” is a poem that at first glance seems happy and inviting but once examined, is actually quite depressing and aloof. Although it appears to be a direct address to an anonymous “maiden,” in reality the poem is much more complex. Clare offers his “sweet maid” a less than appealing future life, presenting her with an “eternity” filled with harsh landscapes and loneliness. Most readers’ first impression when they think of eternity is almost dream-like or heavenly. However, Clare’s vision of eternity is dark and mysterious and uninviting. These different versions of expectations, as well as the use of antique word forms such as “thou” and “wilt”, seems to suggest a conscious misuse of traditional and old-fashioned love poetry and portrays the “maiden” as being nothing more than a figment in Clare’s imagination. Further, this is not the first time Clare has written about such a hellish place. His poem “I am” resembles the “eternity” he is speaking of in “An Invite to Eternity.” “I am” was a reflection of a period in his life where he was isolated in a mental institution. In this context, the strange and ominous world that Clare presents as “eternity” takes on a new meaning as a representation of his social death while in the asylum. Supporting this idea, “An Invite to Eternity”
Comparing La Belle Dame Sans Merci by Keats and Mariana. The two poems 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' and 'Mariana' are very similar genres of a. They are both based on a romantic theme. They are both about unrequited love.
"John Keats." British Literature 1780-1830. Comp. Anne K. Mellor and Richard E. Matlak. Boston: Heinle & Heinle, 1996. 1254-56. Print.
While Madame Ratignolle, Madamoiselle Reisz and Edna are very different characters, all of them are unable to reach their potentials. Madame Ratignolle is too busy being the perfect Louisiana woman that she no identity of her own; her only purpose in life is to care for her husband and children. Madamoiselle Reisz is so defiant and stubborn that she has isolated herself from society and anyone she could share her art with. Edna has the opportunity to rise above society’s expectations of females, but she is too weak to fight this battle and ultimately gives up. While these three characters depict different ideas of what it truly means to be a woman and what women’s role in society should be, none of them can reach their full individual potential.
In contrast to Edna’s disobedience to her husband and “disservice” to her children, Adele Ratignolle was the prime example of the ideal woman. When describing the mother-women, Chopin states, “many of them were delicious in the role; one of them was the embodiment to every womanly grace and charm” (Chopin 8). Adele is the woman every woman wants to be and every man would want. As a result, Edna looks up to Adele’s example, in order to try to conform to societal expectations.
Details about the modest apartment of the Loisels on the Street of Martyrs indicate Mathilde’s peevish lack of adjustment to life. Though everything is serviceable, she is unhappy with the “drab” walls, “threadbare” furniture, and “ugly” curtains (5). She has domestic help, but she wants more servants than the simple country girl who does the household chores in the apartment. Her embarrassment and dissatisfaction are shown by details of her irregularly cleaned tablecloth and the plain and inelegant beef stew that her husband adores. Even her best theater dress, which is appropriate for apartment life but which is inappropriate for more wealthy surroundings, makes her unhappy. All these details of the apartment establish that Mathilde’s major trait at the story’s beginning is maladjustment. She therefore seems unpleasant and unsympathetic.
Womanhood in The Eve of St. Agnes and La Belle Dame Sans Merci and Mariana by Keats
Time is an ever constant moving aspect of life. It can build one up and tear one down
The poem, “To Autumn” by John Keats is as the title implies, an ode to autumn, but it is also an ode to the death of spring and summer and the life that they held. As an ode implies this poem celebrates autumn, but it is also a celebration of life and more specifically Keats’s life. This being said it is also an ode to the end of life and the end of innocence. Without knowing the meaning behind even the title one cannot understand this poem. Stanza three encompasses this best as it is the closing stanza.