Lamia Anna Lea Merritt 1844 1930 Lamia The

Lamia Anna Lea Merritt (1844 - 1930) Lamia, The Serpent Woman John William Waterhouse: Lamia [by the pond] - 1909 Herbert James Draper (1909): The Lamia Will H. Low: from an 1889 edition of the poem

Lamia’s Mythology • Presides in ancient Greek mythologies, updated through the ages. • (Grand-)daughter of Poseidon • Queen of Libya • Had an affair with Zeus, bore him children; enraged, Hera (Zeus’ wife) killed them out of jealousy. • Lamia went insane with grief. Envious of other mothers, she ate their children. • Appearance unclear - shape-shifter? Removable eyes? Distorted face? Serpent woman? • Seductress as of 9 th century: a supernatural threat to marriage. • Later, story used as a threat to children - go to bed or the lamia will come and eat you!

Key Themes in Keats • The themes we’ve seen so far include: – Power of Women and/or/v Men – Old Age – Reality v Dreams/Imagination – Mystical (supernatural) – Religion – Ambiguity/Uncertainty

Symbolism • The use of physical things to represent ideas and emotions. It is the practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships.

Symbols - ‘Abstract ideas’ • • • What ‘abstract ideas’ might the following settings symbolise? The lake in La Belle The chapel in Eve The banqueting chamber in Eve The beldame’s room in Eve Madeline’s room in Eve The ‘outside’ in Eve • • • What ‘abstract ideas’ might the following characters symbolise? The woman in La Belle The knight in La Belle The beadsman in Eve The beldame in Eve Madeline in Eve Porphyro in Eve

Plot Prediction • What do we expect to see from a Keats plot with the following characters: – Hermes: one of the Greek Gods who leaves Olympus (the home of the Gods) in search of a beautiful nymph. – Lamia: a sorceress who is transformed from a serpent into a beautiful woman. – Lycius: a young and handsome Corinthian who is looking for love. – Apollonius: a wise advisor and former tutor to Lycius

Setting • Where does Keats set the opening to his poem? • How does Keats reveal the setting? • What are the key quotes/ evidence that reveal the setting? • Evaluate the significance/ meaning of the setting.

Keats’ Women • What do we already know? – Victims? – Villains? – Naive? – Manipulative? – Romantic?

Lamia - lines 47 -145 • What does Keats reveal about Lamia? • How does Keats reveal the character? • What are the key quotes/ evidence that reveal the character? • Evaluate the ways in which her character might be interpreted.

Character Analysis • • • Lamia is depicted as a. . character. Keats presents the character by…. This is shown when…. This could have the effect of…. Alternatively, it may have the effect of….

Key Question Are women presented as positive or negative figures in Keats’ poetry? Positive “Eve of St Agnes” “La Belle Dame” “Lamia” Negative

Recap on Imagery How does Keats create imagery in his poetry? – Appeal to the senses – Pictorial imagery – intense visual imagery – Concrete imagery – the use of concrete images to portray abstract ideas – Synaesthesia – the substitution of one sense for another.

Imagery: 146 -184 • What examples of imagery does Keats use? • What type of imagery is it? • Evaluate the ways in which the images might be interpreted.

Type of imagery Example Effect of the image

Allegory is. . . • A story with two meanings: – 1) literal; 2)symbolic • A form of extended metaphor • Objects, people, and actions represent wider moral, social, religious or political meanings beyond the story itself • Characters often = personifications of abstract ideas as charity, greed, or envy.

Allegory in “Lamia” • In most cases the allegorical readings focus on the ways in which the three main characters in the poem, Lamia, Lycius, and Apollonius may be said to represent something other than themselves. • What do you think each of these characters may represent? Lamia Lycius Apollonius

Allegorical Characters in “Lamia” Lamia Lycius Apollonius Fanny Brawne Poetry Poem Illusion/Dream Text Keats Poet Keats/Poet Dreamer Ego Charles Brown Philosopher Reviewers Reason/Reality Public

In Part I • Find evidence for how the following are established the first two stanzas: – Settings – Atmosphere – Lamia – Colour and imagery – Tradition

Love • Who falls in love in this poem? • How does Keats position the concept of love in the opening? • How does he present it as the poem progresses? • What is the defining difference between these loves?

Section A • First question: What ways does the writer present. . . – AO 2 language, form and structure • Second question: ‘How far/To what extent’ – AO 1, AO 3, AO 4

Section B • AO 1, AO 2, AO 3

• Many narratives have one or more significant moments of crisis. Write about the significance of crises in the work of the three writers you have studied. • How do writers use repetition to create meanings in their texts? In your answer, refer to the work of the three writers you have studied. • Write about some of the ways characters are created in the three texts you have studied. • Write about the ways authors use time to shape the order of events in the three texts you have studied. • Writers often choose their titles carefully to allow for different potential meanings. Write about some potential meanings of titles in the three texts you have studied. • Write about the significance of one or two key events in each of the three texts you have studied.

Voices in Lamia • Identify the different voices in 1 -84 (part II). • Consider the similarities/ differences in terms of the viewpoint. • Evaluate the interaction between the different views/voices within the poem.

Points of View • The poem begins with Hermes’ point-ofview. • Hermes’ point of view moves to Lamia’s point-of-view at line 146 as Hermes & the wood nymph fly away into the forest. • Does this suggest that the ‘dreams of Gods’ (Hermes) can be fulfilled but not the dreams of mortals (Lycius)?

Recap on Narrative Voice and Viewpoint • • • Author’s voice/ viewpoint Narrator’s direct voice/ viewpoint Narrator’s indirect voice/ viewpoint Character’s indirect voice/ viewpoint

Voices – Part 1 • Lamia’s voice is heard first – line 38 – lamenting her imprisonment. • Hermes voice – line 83 – sounds desperate/ besotted by the power of his attraction to the wood nymph. • At intervals the voice of the poet interrupts to provide his point-of-view and question the reader – lines 171 -2. • Line 200 -201 – the poet directly addresses the reader to ensure that they are aware of the dramatic tension at key moments. • Line 395 -397 – poet’s voice warns of the unhappiness to come.

Voices – Part 2 • Part II lines 1 -15 – the poet warns of the unhappiness to follow – love cannot exist in an environment that is isolated from the ‘real’ world. • Part II line 146 – poet chastises/ warns Lycius of his foolishness in not being satisfied with having Lamia to himself. • Apollonious is shown to speak with the voice of reason as he sees through Lamia’s deception, contrasting to Lycius’ misguided ranting at the end.

How far do lines 1 -84 support a reading of the poem in which: · Lamia symbolises the value of poetry and its capacity to inspire dream & illusion? · Lycius symbolises the role of the poet as a dreamer? · Apollonius symbolises the role of philosopher and rationalist; a man of reason who is rooted in reality?

Lamia Part 11 1 -84 • How does the poet use different voices to keep the reader’s interest in this section of the poem?