It was slightly disconcerting that Keats and Fanny were reciting La Belle Dame sans Merci during a romantic moment, when many interpret the poem as a depiction of rape? I don't know, I found it odd and couldn't stop myself from cringing.
Now...where was I?
La Belle Dame sans Merci was a ballad based on an older poem, and it basically told a story. I actually find it plausible that a young woman like Fanny - who did not really have a high level of schooling but wished to learn something about poetry from Keats - would like it and find the story enchanting. It would be more believable - for example - than for the viewer to see Fanny being impressed by Keats muttering over a Grecian urn.
Some people believed that Keats actually had Fanny in mind when he wrote about "the beautiful lady without mercy". He loved Fanny but feared that love might give him false hope but ultimately disappoint at the end, leaving him disillusioned and in no better plight than the poor knight in the ballad.
It was one of my favourite scenes in the movie, perhaps because it involved my favourite Keats poem, which may likely sum up how Keats felt about their relationship. He might have intended the beautiful woman as a symbol for the life (and love), which he felt was slowly slipping away from him due to his incurable illness. During this time, he may have felt like the knight in the poem sitting on the cold hill—pale, feverish, and alone, but bewitched by love. 🐭
share