Keats involves the reader by creating word pictures and expressing details, which appeal to the senses.
As the plot develops the characters are brought in to the story. The main character is Madeline. She believes in the superstition of St Agnes’ Eve. Therefore goes to bed early without eating, and always looks ahead or upward hoping she will dream of the man she would marry. Porphyro is another main character. He comes across to the reader as a hero. He also creates change (to the story and Madeline) and thickens the plot. Porphyro was a young Knight tin love with Madeline. However, he was from an other family, and there was a feud between his family and Madeline’s family. “He thee and thine, both house and land.” This is one of the similarities Keats’ poem has with Romeo and Juliet. Porphyro was in great danger being at the castle, but he did not care, and desperately wanted to see Madeline. The fact that Porphyro was in great danger builds up tension, and increases interest in the reader.
Keats builds on his narrative by adding a third character. This third character acts as a go between with Madeline and Porphyro. This character is a Nurse, again very similar to Romeo and Juliet. Also dialogue is added. This dialogue between Porphyro and the Nurse helps to make Porphyro’s intentions clear to the reader, and reinforces the nature of the poem. It is a narrative.
The Nurse has known Porphyro since he was young boy, therefore is willing to help him see Madeline. Although she is shocked at what he is planning to do “To ventures so: it fills me with amaze.” She still helps him. It is now not just Keats telling the story, but the characters too. The Nurse knows Porphyro is in great danger, and she has committed and offence by helping him.
Keats always maintains authorial control of his poem. There are main places where he uses his words to instruct the reader, or even tell the reader something. “Now prepare” This builds up tension making the reader suspect something.
The first part of Keats’s narrative Romantic poem is telling the reader of St Agnes’ Eve. When Porphyro finally gets to Madeline’s room, avoiding all danger the romance begins. Porphyro’s intention at the start was just to see young Madeline, however his intentions increase. He is so serious about seeing Madeline he swears that he would never hurt her. “I will not harm her, by all the saints I swear” Swearing on the Gods adds to the danger Porphyro is in.
Keats describes Madeline’s room to add atmosphere to the poem, “Triple arch’d there was.” This Gothic image reinforces the medieval era of the poem, and paints a word picture involving the reader. “Fruits and flowers, and braches of knot grass” This detail amplifies the beauty of the poem and adds enchantment. “Splendid dies” describes the magnificent explosion of rich colours in Madeline’s room. Again Keats paints a picture, and involves the reader. Keats uses the beauty of nature to describe the colours, “As are the tiger-moths deep damask’s wings,” The butterfly suggests elegance and charm. Keats spends a lot of time describing Madeline’s room, and Madeline undressing. This slows down the mood of the poem making it very exquisite. Madeline is so attractive Keats describes her
“Hair a glory, like a saint, she seemed a splendid angle, newly drest!
Her hair is shining like a halo and the use of “angle” suggests she is a God-like, beautiful creature, too pretty for this world. The romantic setting has a magical charm “’twas midnight charm.” Midnight was always thought to be the witching hour, when all spirits were out. This adds to the enchantment and romance of the poem. Keats keeps emphasising how beautiful Madeline is. The simile “like a mermaid in a sea-weed,” compares Madeline to an other attractive creature. It creates a word picture for the reader to realise her beauty.
Keats describes Madeline undressing step by step. “Unclasps her warmed jewels one by one; Loosens her fragrant bodice.” This builds up anticipation and adds to the romantic element. Keats uses and oxymoron “dreams awake” to tell the reader she is daydreaming. Madeline is so caught up in the enchantment of the night she is completely oblivious of what is happening around her.
When Madeline is finally asleep it is described as “the poppied warmth of sleep.” This drugged and deep sleep adds enchantment and creates a sense of magic. Keats always compares the beauty of Madeline to the beauty of nature. “As though a rose would shut, and be a bud again.” This shows the purity and gracefulness of Madeline. It also suggests the power of magic. Roses cannot change back to bud, which continues the element of enchantment.
Until now Porphyro had been hiding in Madeline’s wardrobe, however the reader is told he “listened to her breathing.” This proves her must be very close to her. “And ‘tween the curtains peep’d.” Showing Porphyro peeking through the curtains of her four-poster bed. Keats maintains control of his poem by using his voice to direct the reader to the next part of the poem. “Where lo! – How fast she slept.”
Gothic imagery is used to add to the romantic setting. “Silver twilight,” suggests magic and enchantment. The “faded moon” shows the passing of time, giving the reader and idea of what is happening and when. Madeline is still asleep “in blanched linen, smooth and lavender’d.” This creates an image of a peaceful sleep and it appeals to the senses, the beautiful lavender smelling pure sheets.
Porphyro had prepared many exotic foods for Madeline. The “Manna and dates form silken Samarcad to Ceder’d Lebanon.” These special and exotic foods from far away places imply riches and proves that Porphyro is totally serious about Madeline, and he is not just there to look and gaze at her. The exotic foods he had prepared perfumed the room, appealing to the senses. The exotic feast is a medieval idea, which co-insides with the medieval castle and the medieval features in Madeline’s room. Even the dishes “of wreathed sliver” were medieval crafts. When Madeline wakes Porphyro plays an “ancient ditty” in Madeline’s ear. This is very romantic. He is serenading her. However she wakes properly and is surprised and scared at what is happening. She is frightened, “her blue affrayed eyes wide open shone.” Porphyro gets on knees and freezes, “pale as a smooth sculptured stone.” This is a dramatic change, from the sweet sound of music to a sense of shock. It adds a nice twist to the perfect love story. Now Madeline is awake and confused. She moans and cries, and does not know what to do. She had heard Porphro singing in her sleep – but not now! She is desperate for him to sing again. “Give me that voice again, my Porphyro! This shows she wants the romance to continue. She is suffering that he is not singing. “Oh leave me not in this eternal woe.” After this the reader is told that Porphyro and Madeline consummate.
“Into her dreams he melted, as the rose blendeth its odour with the violet.”
Keats compares consummation with the beauty of nature, adding to the romance of the poem, like previously in the poem. Keats wanted his readers to know exactly what the two lovers did! This is why he uses a simile to describe the consummation. “Solution sweet. Meantime the frost wind blows.” Keats still maintains authorial control of his poem by using his voice to direct and manipulate the reader to the other happenings of the night outside of Madeline’s room.
From now the poem moves very quickly. There is dialogue between Madeline and Porphyro, which again is part of a narrative. The element of magic and enchantment is still continued. “Hark! ‘tis and elfin-storm form fairy land.” This shows although there is no real meaning for the rest of the poem Keats still keeps up the themes that have been shown throughout the poem. The medieval theme is also continued as well as the gothic image. “A chain-droop’d lamp” reminds the reader of the medieval castle, and “The wide stairs.” Reinforce the gothic image. The reader is reminded that Porphyro is still in great danger. “At glaring watch, perhaps, with ready spears.” Although the solution is sweet, Madeline and he have consummated. Porphyro could still get caught!
Keats does not actually tell what happens to Madeline and Porphyro,
“The key turns, and the door opens upon its hinges groans.
And they are gone. These lovers fled away into the storm.”
From this the reader assumes that they are running off to try and start a new life. There is no proof of happy ending. Then again there is no poof a sad ending, however, the idea that they are running off into a storm suggests unease. Keats ties up all the loose ends in his poem, as it finishes suddenly.
“Angela the old died palsy-twitch’d, with meagre face deform:
The Beadsman, after thousand aves told,
For aye unsought for slept among his ashes cold.”
He tells what happens to the other characters he had introduced at the beginning. Then the poem is finished. People think he ended his poem suddenly because, he had found out he had tuberculosis and had lost the will to live. Other people think he was so distraught that he could not have a life with his one love Fanny Brown he didn’t want his characters to have a life, so his poem finished suddenly. I think he may have just got bored of writing it.
Throughout the poem the reader is reminded that it is a narrative, and there is always proof that it is a romantic, even if it just in the features of the room. This poem is a very good example of a narrative romantic poem as it conforms to the all the elements.
