Central Idea Of ‘La Belle Dame sans Merci’

The poem ‘La Belle Dame sans Merci’ is composed by John Keats who was one of the greatest romantic poets of younger generation. He regarded as the famous poet of beauty and senses. He wrote some great poems “Ode to the Nightingale”, “Ode to the Grecian Urn”, “The Terror of Death.”
The poem describes a worry Knight by the side of a snow-covered mountain. The sight of a beautiful lady with perfect grace and grandeur charms him. The knight offers her a garland and a bracelet of beautiful flowers. The fairy like lady takes him to her cave. She lulled him to sleep there. Meanwhile, he saw a fearful dream in which he found that there were many pale kings and princes who warned him by saying that he had become a slave of the beautiful lady. The fearful dream awoke him. He finds himself all alone by the hill side and that is the reason of his wandering alone near the lake.
The poem is a fine example of Keats romantic imagination. It is written in the form of a ballad. The poem is full of romance. It is short story in verse. It is divided in two parts. The first three stanzas are questions and last stanzas are answers of those questions. This ballad is a fine example of structural unity and astonishing dramatic power. The language is simple and verse. The poem is praised for its wonderful imagery, sweet music, simplicity of diction, romantic atmosphere, supernatural element and very apt use Simile, Metaphor and Hyperbole.
Poetic Beauty
1. The poem is a fine example of Keats romantic imagination.
2. The poem describes the sorrowful tale unfortunate knight who is caught in the false love of beautiful lady.
3. It is full of romance.
4. It is borrowed from an old French poem.
5. The poem is a medieval ballad.
6. This poem is a fine example of structural unity.
7. The poem reflexes the super dramatic power of poet.
8. The poem is remarkable for its romantic atmosphere.
9. It has autobiographical reference.
10. It is short story in verse.
11. The title of the poem is suggestive.
12. The language of the poem is simple and verse.
13. The stanzas are in ballad form and rhyme scheme is ab cb.
14. Supernatural elements are present in the poem.
15. The poem has biblical references.
16. The figures of speech Simile, Metaphor and Hyperbole are used in this poem.
17. There is an element of continuity in the poem.