The Event of St Agnes is made up of a number of deliberate contrasts. By means of a close examination of 3 distinct paragraphs, explore Keats use of comparison in the composition. There are three main clashes used in this kind of poem Christian/Pagan imagery, cold/warm images, and quite often the distinction of colour. In a way, heat and color are connected, deep reds, yellows and oranges stand for heat and life, although blues and silvers reveal chill absence of life.
Likewise in The Eve of St . Agnes is a strong problem of whether Porphyros intentions happen to be honest and wholesome, or if he could be somehow applying Madelines trance-like state and helplessness to his unhelpful ? awkward ? obstructive ? uncooperative advantage. It is additionally full of fantastic Keatsian paradoxes, which will also be outlined inside the contrast analyses. There is a strong element of the harsh outside universe invading the heat and protection of Madelines glowing space, and also the uncertainty of the other guests, who may catch the unwelcome Porphyro at any time.
Through constant clashes of coloring, emotion, lumination and audio, Keats causes this a very unsettling and suspenseful poem, showing a much darker and even more ominous part to the dominating mans position in courtly love. Complete this casement shone the wintry celestial body overhead, And put warm gules on Madelines fair breast, As straight down she knelt for heavens grace and boon, Rose-bloom fell on her behalf hands, together prest, And on her sterling silver cross smooth amethyst, And her curly hair a glory, like a st: She seemd a splendid angel, newly drest, Save wings, for heaven: – Porphyro grew weak: She knelt, so real a thing, therefore free from mortal taint.
This stanza brings up several strong color and spiritual contrasts. Since the previously harsh and cold wintertime moon excels into Madelines bedroom, a previously described beautiful lavish casement changes the cold blue lumination into warm gules, or perhaps deep, warm red. This gives the casement and Madelines environment in general a sort of holy, warm and safe feeling, shielded from the cool outside community. Keats then simply goes on to illustrate Madelines piety as your woman kneels to pray to get heavens grace. Keats often emphasises her holiness to reflect Porphyros perversity and almost sacrilege, when he gazes having a lusty attention upon this kind of a pure, innocent girl.
However only a few about Madeline seems completely pure, since shown by Keats use of seemd a marvelous angel. This hint of nothing being as particular as you think is often utilized to emphasise ambiguity and leave an disturbing foreboding as to what will happen up coming. The very fact that Madeline partakes in this seemingly religious action just to identify who will take her virginity is a conundrum in terms Madeline is in a system praying to shed her chasteness, and that is just what happens. See also the amethyst onto her cross. Again, the deep, warm, nearly lusty amethyst colour different with the cold silver of her o cross.
By the end of the stanza, we are told of the ominous presence of Porphyro, crouching with lusty espying sight and holding out anxiously to have his evil way with this first. That historic Beadsman noticed the prelude soft, And thus it chancd, for many a door was wide, Coming from hurry back and forth. Soon, up aloft, The silver, snarling trumpets gan to chide: The level chambers, ready using their pride, Were glowing to obtain a thousand guests: The carved angels, ever eager-eyed, Stard, where after their mind the cornice rests, With hair taken back, and wings place cross-wise on the breasts.
