Lamia

Lamia

Lamia
1. "When move in a sweet body fit for life"
2. "Ah miserable me!"
3. "palpitating snake"
4. "dazzling hue" "Vermilion-spotted" "rainbow sided"
5. "Some penanced lady elf, Some demon's mistress, or the demon's self"
6. "What could such eyes do there, but weep, and weep,that they were born so fair?"
7. "Her throat was serpent, but the words she spake, came as through bubbling honey, for Love's sake,"
8. "Smooth lipp'd serpent"
9. "Her elfin blood in madness ran"
10. "serpent prison-house"
Themes
1. Gods/Foreshadowing
  1. "Real are the dreams of Gods"
  2. "mutter'd, like tempest in the distance brew'd"
  3. "Begone foul dream!"
2. Magic
  1. "So delicious were the words she sung"
  2. "Faery-roof"
  3. "They knew the street... yet ne'er before had seen that royal porch"
3. Love
  1. "murmuring of Love and pale with pain"
  2. "A moment's thought is passion's passing bell"
4. Beauty
5. Betrayal
6. Obesession
7. Isolation
School of Thought
1. Feminism
  1. women as evil seductresses
    1. "Shall I see thee made a serpent's prey?"
  2. women as victims/innocent
  3. Women as passive
    1. "a prize"
    2. Lyceus heartbroken by the fact that Lamia is a Goddess --> cannot stand the thought that she is more powerful
  4. Love as a weakness for men
    1. "Fool!"
Elements of Tragedy
1. Hamartia
  1. Lamia: was a beautiful snake, wanted more for the sake of love
  2. Lycius Hubris: had to show off his beautiful lover with a wedding
  3. Lamia's decision to turn human as a tragic mistake rather than tragic flaw
  4. Using deceit to ensnare her lover
2. Tragic Fall
  1. exposed by Appollonius
    1. Is she responsible?
  2. Causing her own disappearance and Lycius' death
3. Catharsis
  1. Pity for Lamia
  2. Fear/Intrigue of Appolonius
4. Fate
5. Tragic Hero
  1. subverted in that she is neither human nor a man
  2. ambiguity of her "goodness"
6. Villain
Structure and Form
1. Style of 17th Century Poet John Dryden
  1. Telling of a Tale
  2. Sense of balance and control, like Lamia's fate seems to be inevitable
2. Occasionally erupts into couplets or enjambment
  1. reflects how abruptly Lamia's wedding is interrupted
Devices
1. allusions to classical mythology
2. Use of setting to reflect the beauty of Lamia
3. Lists of emotive words to incite pity

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	Created by Charlotte Hall over 7 years ago