Commonplace Entry 10: John Keat's Lamia
Wrote Keats in Part 1, "She was gordian shape of dazzling hue, Vermillion-spotted, golden, green, and blue; Striped like a zebra, freckled like a pard, Eyed like a peacock, and all crimson barr'd... her head was serpent, but ah, bitter-sweet! She had a woman's mouth with its pearls complete...Her throat was serpent, but the words she spake came, as through bubbling honey for Love's sake" (986-986).
Author and poet John Keats addressed his Romantic Period audience aptly with the inclusion of a half-human half-beast Lamia poem in his writings. Through Hermes perspective, Keats points to themes of seduction (by women) and the broader English exploration of the natural world that was a hallmark of the era. Zebras being from Africa and peacocks from Burma, these animal's inclusion may seem a surprise to the modern reader. While the snake was somewhat known to the English at this time, this particular Lamia-snake creature is a monstrosity and a beauty as partial woman. It contains elements and characteristics of both familiar and mysterious exotic animals. This passage may speak to skepticism of English explorations abroad, provide a cultural warning against the expansion of too much knowledge too swiftly, or be a nod to the role women play in society.
Keats, John. Lamia, The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 10th Edition, Volume D, The Romantic Period, New York, London, W.W. Norton Company, 2018, pp. 986-989.
