La Belle Dame Sans Merci (Ballad)

La Belle Dame Sans Merci (A Ballad by John Keats)
( A Beautiful Lady Without Mercy )
Explanation of Stanzas

1. Presentation Prepared by: Farwa Aqeel Presented to: Ma’am Misbah Topic: La belle dame sans merci

2. "O WHAT “O WHAT can ail thee, knight-at-arms, Alone and palely loitering? The sedge has wither'd from the lake, And no birds sing”

3. O WHAT can ail thee, knight-at-arms, Alone and palely loitering? Poem is started from a question. Anonymous poet ask question about knights appearance. Why knight is drifting aimlessly. h

4. The sedge has wither'd from the lake, And no birds sing. Sharp winter season. Small plants are dried up. Birds are flown away to warmer climates. Knight is wandering alone in barren place. S

5. “O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,  So haggard and so woe-be gone?  the squirrel's granary is full,  And the harvest's done”

6. O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,  So haggard and so woe-be gone? Knight didn’t respond to the speaker’s question. Speaker again asked the question. Two adjective are mentioned here “sick” & “depressed”. Why you look so weak and sorrowful?

7. The squirrel's granary is full,  And the harvest's done Squirrel had collected her food for winters & no need to come out side in cold. Farmer has reaped and gathered their harvest. Everyone is comfortable in there houses.

8. “I see a lily on thy brow With anguish moist and fever-dew.  And on thy cheeks a fading rose Fast withereth too”

9. I see a lily on thy brow With anguish moist and fever-dew. Knight looks very weak and his forehead is white and bloodless like a lily. His forehead is sweating due to fever and he is also worried.

10. And on thy cheeks a fading rose Fast withereth too His cheeks colour is fading like rose is near to it death. Soon his cheeks will fade away completely.

11. “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”

12. I met a lady in the meads, Full beautiful – a faery's child The stanza’s point of view is changed. All of a sudden the knight, answers the unnamed speaker’s questions. Now “I” is the knight rather than original speaker. Knights says that he met a fairy-like lady in the fields.

13. Her hair was long, her foot was light, And her eyes were wild Now the knight explains the appearance of that lady. She has long hair, was graceful and her eyes were wild. Eye having emotional excitement or attractive.