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La Belle Dame Sans Merci |
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By John Keats |
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"La Belle Dame Sans Merci" exists in two versions. The first was the original one penned by Keats on April 21, 1819. The second was altered (probably at the suggestion of Leigh Hunt) for its publication in Hunt's Indicator on May 20, 1819.(Friedlander) |
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Manuscript I
Oh what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, Alone and palely loitering? The sedge has withered from the lake, And no birds sing.
II
Oh what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, 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, 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, And her eyes were wild.
V
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.
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, 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 sighed full sore, And there I shut her wild wild eyes With kisses four.
IX
And there she lulled me asleep And there I dreamed - Ah! woe betide! The latest dream I ever dreamt On the cold hill 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!'
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 Alone and palely loitering, Though the sedge is withered from the lake, And no birds sing. |
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Published I
Ah, what can ail thee, wretched wight, Alone and palely loitering? The sedge is wither'd from the lake, And no birds sing.
II
Ah, what can ail thee, wretched wight, 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; And on thy cheek 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, And her eyes were wild.
V
I set her on my pacing steed, And nothing else saw all day long, For sideways would she lean, and sing A faery's song.
VI
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.
VII
She found me roots of relish sweet, 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 gazed, and sighed deep, And there I shut her wild wild eyes So kiss'd to sleep.
IX
And there we slumber'd on the moss, And there I dream'd - Ah! woe betide! The latest dream I ever dream'd On the cold hill 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!'
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 side.
XII
And this is why I sojourn here, Alone and palely loitering, Though the sedge is wither'd from the lake, And no birds sing. |
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John Keats 1795-1892 |
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The various changes made within the published version adds different meaning to the poem's mood and interpretation. The use of "wretched wight" instead of "knight-at-arms" presents a much different image of the protagonist. "Wight" suggests the knight is more of an apparition, rather than a living being. It gives the poem an added air of surrealism. Another missing aspect is "kisses four". Perhaps the editor thought the number trivial or that it distracted from the content. I'm glad the version most recongnized contains the "four kisses". Why? Well, because it makes the reader wonder, why four? The reader is forced to consider its importance. |
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Proceed to next pages... |
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