I like the Waterhouse painting of this scene as well. But this knight looks stunned, still resisting somewhat. "Blue Ghost Post" compared some of the paintings that illustrate this poem in a post last year.
All of these "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" paintings are beautiful and interesting, but I certainly believe Waterhouse's is the most enchanting. While the others tend to portray La Belle Dame triumphant and strong in a position above the knight, Waterhouse portrays her below the knight, weaving her enchantment over him, yet looking young, innocent and almost vulnerable. Quite frankly, I'm as enchanted by this "faery's child" as the knight. Waterhouse's version is captivating, but appropriately sinister!
And yet another link--I found this page which explains a little more about the two versions, and includes some comments from Keats about the "kisses four."
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"She looked at me as she did love,
And made sweet moan".
I think the Pre-Raphaelite idea of chivalry and medieval love was hilarious :) Just as well Dicksee could paint.
I like the Waterhouse painting of this scene as well. But this knight looks stunned, still resisting somewhat. "Blue Ghost Post" compared some of the paintings that illustrate this poem in a post last year.
Thank you that is a nice post you linked too.
All of these "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" paintings are beautiful and interesting, but I certainly believe Waterhouse's is the most enchanting. While the others tend to portray La Belle Dame triumphant and strong in a position above the knight, Waterhouse portrays her below the knight, weaving her enchantment over him, yet looking young, innocent and almost vulnerable. Quite frankly, I'm as enchanted by this "faery's child" as the knight. Waterhouse's version is captivating, but appropriately sinister!
This is interesting as I didn't know Keats wrote two versions:
http://englishhistory.net/keats/poetry/labelledamesansmerci.html
And yet another link--I found this page which explains a little more about the two versions, and includes some comments from Keats about the "kisses four."
http://www.pathguy.com/lbdsm.htm
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