Eve of St Agnes Flashcards
remember this stuff
“Hoodwink’d in faery fancy; all amort,
Save to St. Agnes and her lambs unshorn” (70-71)
Sublime quote where Madeline may be being tricked by her visions.
“Gods help! my lady fair the conjuror plays
This very night: good angels her deceive!” (124-125)
Quote where Madeline is playing a more active role concerning her visions.
“Pensive awhile she dreams awake, and sees,
In fancy, fair St. Agnes in her bed,
But dares not look behind, or all the charm is fled.” (232-234)
Quote that emphasises Madeline’s imagination by seeing St Agnes in her bed.
“Thou must hold water in a witch’s sieve,
And be liege-lord of all the Elves and Fays,
To venture so: it fills me with amaze
To see thee, Porphyro!” (120-123)
Quote where the old woman is surprised to see that Porphyro got into the castle undetected.
“But soon his eyes grew brilliant, when she told
His lady’s purpose; and he scarce could brook
Tears, at the thought of those enchantments cold,
And Madeline asleep in lap of legends old.” (132-135)
Quote where the old woman tells Porphyro of Madeline’s magic ritual.
“Never on such a night have lovers met,
Since Merlin paid his Demon all the monstrous debt.” (170-171)
Quote describing the two lovers meeting in reference to Merlin’s downfall.
“A cruel man and impious thou art
[…] Go, go!—I deem
Thou canst not surely be the same that thou didst seem.” (140, 143-144)
Quote showing the old lady’s reaction to Porphyro’s plan to get with Madeline.
”[…] to lead him, in close secrecy,
Even to Madeline’s chamber, and there hid
Him in a closet, of such privacy
That he might see her beauty unespied” (163-166)
Quote where Porphyro goes to hide in a closet to watch Madeline dreaming about him.
“As though a tongueless nightingale should swell
Her throat in vain, and die, heart-stifled, in her dell.” (206-207)
Quote referring to Porphyro and Madeline’s potential sexual encounter with violent imagery.
“In a sort of wakeful swoon, perplex’d she lay,
Until the poppied warmth of sleep oppress’d
Her soothed limbs, and soul fatigued away;
Flown, like a thought, until the morrow-day” (236-239)
Quote suggesting Madeline is halfway between waking and sleeping while she dreams.
“Ethereal, flush’d, and like a throbbing star
Seen mid the sapphire heaven’s deep repose;
Into her dream he melted, as the rose
Blendeth its odour with violet,—
Solution sweet” (319-322)
Quote for the climax of the poem: Porphyro blends into Madeline’s dream.
“Awakening up, he took her hollow lute,—
Tumultuous,—and, in chords that tenderest be,
He play’d an ancient ditty, long since mute,
In Provence call’d, “La belle dame sans mercy”:
Close to her ear touching the melody;—” (289-293)
Quote where Prophyro plays some tunes to wake Madeline up.
“Into her dream he melted
[…] meantime the frost-wind blows
Like Love’s alarum, pattering the sharp sleet
Against the window-panes; St. Agnes moon hath set.” (320-323)
Quote about the St. Agnes moon setting.
“Hark! ‘tis an elfin-storm from faery land,
Of haggard seeming, but a boon indeed […]” (343-344)
Quote when Porphyro tries to convince Madeline to wake up by mentioning the storm.
“How chang’d thou art! How pallid, chill, and drear!” (313)
Quote where Madeline sees the real Porphyro in contrast to her dream version.
