Acquaintance with the poem : La Belle Dam Sans Merci

'La Belle Dam Sans Merci' is a fine poem by John Keats. John Keats was a romantic poet. It is a ballad depicting the love of a knight for a fairy who was beautiful but merciless. The title of the poem "La Belle Dam Sans Merci" also means a beautiful and merciless damsel.

This poem was composed in 1819. It is one of the finest poem that Keats wrote in 1819.

The story of the poem is very interesting. It gives us the feel of a fairy story of charm and supernatural power that is often said to entice people and lead to dangers. A knight wanders alone with pale appearance. When asked, he tells his story. He says that he had met a beautiful girl - a fairy child. The girl had long hair and wild eyes. The knight loved her and she also responded to his love. She took him to a cave where he was given honey wild and manna dew'. She loved him and he kissed her. Then she lulled him to sleep.

When he woke up, he remembers a dream in which many lovers like him told him that he had been caught in a web of the 'Dame Sans Merci'. He looked around and found the dream true as the fairy child was not there and he was alone in the 'elfin grot'.

The poem appears to have wrung out of the tragic heart of the poet. Here the simplicity is combined with economy and suggestiveness with masterly skill. Simple monosyllabic words produce here intensely emotional effect. The dream of the knight adds to the supernatural charm of the poem. When we stop reading, we are left with knight at arms on the cold hill's side.