LamiaFeedback on part 2

Themes:ImaginationTruth and beautyNegative capability NatureWomen

Anything else?

The Eve of St Agnes

• 20th January

• St Agnes is the patron saint of young virgins – she vowed that he body be consecrated to Christ and she rejected all her suitors.

• According to belief, on this night, young virgins will dream of their future husbands.

Spenserian Stanzas

• So called as they were used by Edmund Spenser, writing poetry in the 16th Century.

• When a stanza is more than 8 lines long, something grand is being attempted or achieved.

• Imagine deciding that not only is every stanza going to have 9 lines, but that each stanza will rhyme: a-b-a-b-b-c-b-c-c.

• This is very difficult, it means that the poet need 2 ‘a’ rhymes and 4 ‘b’ rhymes and 3 ‘c’ rhymes.

• Why would a poet do this? What does this tightly controlled rhyme scheme offer?

• Not only do all the stanzas have this rhyme, but they also consist of 8 lines of iambic pentameter (ti tum, ti tum, ti tum, ti tum, ti tum – with the stress on the even numbered syllables) and then an alexandrine (a line of 12 syllables).

• What are the effects?

Effects of rhyme and rhythm

• Keats is using an antique rhyme and rhythm to create an antique-sounding romance – age/time is important in this narrative.

• Using something so difficult as Spenserian stanzas builds up a really coherent structure.

• The ‘b’ rhymes hold the stanza together interlocking with the ‘a’ and ‘c’ rhymes, while the final couplet of ‘c’ rhyme has been prepared earlier.

St Agnes’ Eve – Ah bitter chill it was! aThe owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold: bThe hare linp’d trembling through the frozen grass, aAnd silent was the flock in wooly fold: bNumb were the Beadsman’s fingers, while he told bHis rosary, and while his frosted breath, cLike pious incense from a censer old, bSeem’d taking flight for heaven, without a death, cPast the seet Virgin’s picture, while his prayer he saith. c

How/why is this structure important?

• What does it tell us about the setting?• What does it tell us about the use of time

and sequence?• What does it tell us about the way the

narrative will develop?

• Is there any suggestion that things will be amiss in this narrative? Does the structure suggest that the reader will have any questions?

The story

It is the eve of St Agnes, and a bitterly cold night. An ancient pensioner returns from his prayers through an empty chapel. He hears the sound of music coming from the castle above but continues on his way to say prayers for the souls of sinners. In the castle, preparations for the celebratory feast held on St Agnes’ Eve are completed and the guests arrive. The narrator turns away from them to focus on Madeline who, oblivious to the guests and the music, is thinking only of the legend of St Agnes. Virgins who observe certain ceremonial rites on this particular eve may see their future husbands in their dreams. Meanwhile, Porphyro approaches the castle; he is in love with Madeline, but their fathers are sworn enemies. He gets in to the castle and and learns from Angela, the aging nurse, that Madeline is performing the rites associated with St Agnes.

The story

Angela reluctantly agrees to help Porphyro conceal himself in Madeline’s bedchamber and then brings a selection of delicacies from the feast. Porphyro watches Madeline prepare for bed and fall asleep and then arranges the delicacies on a table. He tries but fails to awaken her. Eventually, playing her lute, he arouses her from dreams of him to a state between sleeping and waking in which she confesses her love; at this point ‘into her dream he melted (line 320). Their relationship is consummated as a storm arises, and Madeline is fully awakened. Initially distressed and fearing he will now forsake her, she eventually consents to elope with her lover and the two steal out of the castle under cover of the storm which now rages outside. The poem concludes with a reminder from the narrator that this all happened long ago.

Questions – to answer for homework – each answer should be quite detailed (not

essay length)• What is the purpose of the old man saying

prayers at the beginning of the poem?• Why do you think Angela agrees to help him

hide in Madeline’s room?• Many of the images used in the poem

suggest oppositions and set up boundaries: the cold outside is set against the warmth within. What other examples can you find?

• What use does Keats make of:– Music?– Colours?