Critical Commentry on John Keats' ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’

‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ is one of the finest ballads of art in English poetry. This remarkable baIllad written by John Keats, narrates the fascinating story of a mortal’s love with fairy. It presents the strange way and manners of these enchantresses who use to make fool of men. It is a sad tale of love betrayed; of a knight who was bewitched by her when he was asleep leaving him to wonder in the cold, crazed with love for her. It is thus a tale of melancholic yearnings and unfulfilled desire. It captivates readers with its enchanting and mysterious narrative. Through vivid imagery and evocative language, Keats explores themes of love, illusion, and the destructive power of beauty. However, upon closer examination, one can uncover a darker undercurrent within the poem that challenges conventional romantic notions.

The title word of the poem is in French which means ‘the beautiful woman without love and pity’. The title words are taken probably from a poem written by Alain Cartier, a fifteenth century court poet. The story of Keats poem has also a close resemblance with the medieval ballad called "Thomas the Rhymer" by Thomas of Erceldone. 

The poem unfolds as a dialogue between an unidentified speaker and a knight who has fallen under the spell of a beautiful and merciless fairy. The knight's infatuation with this otherworldly being leads him to a state of desolation and despair. Keats masterfully uses the knight's perspective to convey the seductive allure of the fairy, painting her as a bewitching figure with "wild eyes" and a "lovely face." This imagery highlights the transformative power of love and its ability to blind and ensnare the individual.

Reading out the story of the poem we finds a knight’s disappointed love with a mysterious elfish lady. Once a knight was wondering about in a sad and dejected mood by the side of lake, someone or the poet asked why he looked so pale and haggard. The knight replied that he had met a beautiful lady in the meadows and was fascinated by her looks and beautiful features. She also fell in love with him. Read More Poetry They both ridden horse back till they reached the cave of the fairy. There the lady expressed her love for him and lulled him to asleep. He saw a dream. In the dream he saw pale kings and warriors. All of them told him that the beautiful lady without mercy had captivated him. Their manners of warning terrified him. He woke up. Instead of finding himself in the cave of his lady love, wretchedly he found himself lying by the side of hill. This was the reason why he was pale and haggard. Frustration in love made the lover sad, dejected, pale and haggard looking. 

However, as the poem progresses, a sense of unease pervades the narrative. The fairy's name, ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci," meaning "the beautiful lady without mercy," foreshadows her true nature. While initially depicted as a symbol of beauty and desire, she ultimately reveals herself to be a manipulative and destructive force. Keats explores the idea that beauty, when used as a weapon, can lead to suffering and heartache.

The poem can be seen as a critique of the idealized concept of love prevalent in Romantic literature. Keats challenges the notion that love is always a positive and uplifting force by presenting a cautionary tale of obsession and loss. The knight's encounter with the fairy becomes a metaphor for the deceptive nature of love, highlighting the dangers of surrendering oneself entirely to passion and desire.

Furthermore, 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' can be interpreted as a commentary on the power dynamics between men and women. The knight's vulnerability and eventual downfall suggest a loss of agency and control, highlighting the potential for exploitation in romantic relationships. The fairy's enchantment over the knight reflects a sense of male disempowerment, as he becomes a victim of her seductive charm and manipulation.

The story of this love betrayal is set in the middle age and elfish enchantment. But side by side it has a warm human touch. It also reveals Keats’ unrequited love for his beloved Fanny Browne. Read More Poetry Just as the Knight of the poem could not achieve success in his love with the fairy, Keats also could not get success in his love. Thus the poem is marked with a concealed autobiographical note. This is also a beautiful dramatic and narrative poem where the story is narrated in succession of beautiful pictures while Knights languish is drawn in autumnal cold, grey, withered, hopelessness, Knight’s strength has been paralleled with the colour and life of summer. 

In conclusion, John Keats' ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ offers a thought-provoking exploration of love, beauty, and the complexities of human relationships. Through its haunting imagery and narrative structure, the poem challenges traditional romantic ideals, revealing the darker side of passion and desire. By delving into the destructive power of beauty and the potential for exploitation, Keats delivers a poignant critique of societal expectations surrounding love and relationships. Here in the poem there is the land of dreams and the land of reality side by side. The subtle music, narrative charm, simplicity of phrase and economy of expression are the other distinguished features of this poem. To crown all ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ remains as one of the greatest poem in English literature.  

 Ardhendu De 

John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley : complete poetical works : Keats, John, 1795-1821, author : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/johnkeatspercyby0000unse