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Isabella and the pot of basil, (How could we see the world around them…
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Ultimately it is the circumstances around these young lovers which determine their sullen fate; a difference in social stays prevents their love from budding initially and the villains around them end it and cause their tragic deaths.
Perhaps therefore the world Keats places them in is the cause of sorrow and their agony is circumstantial and no fault of their own wrongdoings.
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Isabella; or, The Pot of Basil - quotes and analysis
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1) metaphor for the only part of him that Isabella has; it is a method of remembrance theough grief. It is tragic because growth of plants is hinted at the beginning of the play, forshadowing her later use of the basil. It is also forshadowed through the juxtaposition between the theme of growth and the theme of illness & death, indicating that the two will intertwine and they did through Lorenzo's head and the basil
2) basil is a living thing and so may make her feel as though he is still alive or that that their love still lives. When her basil pot is taken away it may represent the death of Isabella because she cannot live without their love and without some part of Lorenzo to represent this.
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-was associated with hatred ie Greeks saw it grown with swearing and ranting but later became a symbol of love in Italy
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—Combining uses and symbols in history, Keats May use the basil grown on Lorenzo's head as a symbol of inevitable tragedy with love - indicating that desires for eternal love can never be fulfilled except through death, the ultimate juxtaposions to the symbol of growth from the basil.
—Love and death is a prevalent key theme which Keats uses in this poem, thus one might assume that the basil represents the struggles which Isabella and Lorenzo have faced; a growth of love died and eternal love is only possible if Isabella dies.
—Evidently, this sacrifice was either inevitable for easily taken by Isabella; her tragic death is bittersweet as it allows them to finally be together without barriers or external pressures.
—She also tends to Lorenzo in the basil pot - juxtapositions his death as her tears "kept ever wet" and thus metaphorically and literally kept a part of Lorenzo alive through physical contact
—it is clear, regardless of symbolism, that Isabella is attached to this physical object because she is grieving and it allows her to mourn and love a physical thing rather than just the thought of someone. It makes her stages of friend staggered and leaves her in a state of bargaining and denial
—the removal (theft) if the basil essentially kills her; she is so overcome by grief and obsession over keeping Lorenzo alive through a plant that it seems the life of the basil kept her alive too
—suggests that perhaps Lorenzo's death wasn't the cause of hers but the missing symbol the basil held: life. The basil held Lorenzo's life and their love metaphorically and the fact that the last part of this was finally taken left Isabella with no metaphorical "life" left - hence her sudden tragic death brought on by heartbreak
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John Keats: Isabella or, the pot of basil - Quotes
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The Tempest Act 1, Scene 2 Part 1
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1) metaphor for the only part of him that Isabella has; it is a method of remembrance theough grief. It is tragic because growth of plants is hinted at the beginning of the play, forshadowing her later use of the basil. It is also forshadowed through the juxtaposition between the theme of growth and the theme of illness & death, indicating that the two will intertwine and they did through Lorenzo's head and the basil
2) basil is a living thing and so may make her feel as though he is still alive or that that their love still lives. When her basil pot is taken away it may represent the death of Isabella because she cannot live without their love and without some part of Lorenzo to represent this.
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-was associated with hatred ie Greeks saw it grown with swearing and ranting but later became a symbol of love in Italy
-
—Combining uses and symbols in history, Keats May use the basil grown on Lorenzo's head as a symbol of inevitable tragedy with love - indicating that desires for eternal love can never be fulfilled except through death, the ultimate juxtaposions to the symbol of growth from the basil.
—Love and death is a prevalent key theme which Keats uses in this poem, thus one might assume that the basil represents the struggles which Isabella and Lorenzo have faced; a growth of love died and eternal love is only possible if Isabella dies.
—Evidently, this sacrifice was either inevitable for easily taken by Isabella; her tragic death is bittersweet as it allows them to finally be together without barriers or external pressures.
—She also tends to Lorenzo in the basil pot - juxtapositions his death as her tears "kept ever wet" and thus metaphorically and literally kept a part of Lorenzo alive through physical contact
—it is clear, regardless of symbolism, that Isabella is attached to this physical object because she is grieving and it allows her to mourn and love a physical thing rather than just the thought of someone. It makes her stages of friend staggered and leaves her in a state of bargaining and denial
—the removal (theft) if the basil essentially kills her; she is so overcome by grief and obsession over keeping Lorenzo alive through a plant that it seems the life of the basil kept her alive too
—suggests that perhaps Lorenzo's death wasn't the cause of hers but the missing symbol the basil held: life. The basil held Lorenzo's life and their love metaphorically and the fact that the last part of this was finally taken left Isabella with no metaphorical "life" left - hence her sudden tragic death brought on by heartbreak
"Fair Isabel, poor simple Isabel" ... "poor girl!"
"Fair" indicates that she is innocent and vulnerable - or that she is in danger of being hurt. "Poor" suggests that she will be a victim or taken advantage of someone. The juxtaposed ideas indicate that there will be two tones and themes that oppose one another and that although she is happy now, she will later become a victim. These themes are love and life coinciding with death - again this makes it more tragic because we are told plainly that Isabella will become a victim of something no matter how happy she may seem now.
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Conceit of growth and illness - "love grew tenderer" "garden stir" "may... June" "winter cold" "summer clime" vs "cheeks paler "fell sick... fell thin" "waxing very pale and dead" "sick longing"
the theme of growth is evident in the first few stanzas "love grew deeper," "garden stir" and "May...June" all represent physical plant growth and the fact that their love is growing and deepening over time. "winter cold" "summer clime" connotes the development of a relationship and the natural course it takes. He is also metaphorically dependent on her. This is juxtaposed with the foreshadowing of illness and death "cheeks paler," "sick longing," "fell sick" all relate to being unwell and indicate that something bad is coming. This is tragic because just as their love starts to grow and their love for each other begins, there is already an undoubtable fact that one of them will die or get ill - Lorenzo acknowledges this which makes their time seem limited and no longer do they have the whole of their lives. Keats tells the reader in a Romeo and Juliet style in order to perhaps indicate that genuine love is too good to be true and impossible to be real. The growth of plants also foreshadows the use of basil
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Without love, they are both sick. Perhaps falling in love, into death or into despair. Their sickness is an ongoing theme and suggests that they give each other health or that they are lovesick for each other. Relates to Isabella dying from a broken heart because she is sick without lorenzo's love
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-May echo Keat's cynical and nihilistic outlook on real love - Joe it cannot exist and if it does, it will inevitably end tragically and painfully
-came from his own experience with love and his inability to find his expectations of love in real women
-perhaps suggesting that Isabella as a woman was too good to be true? Or the relationship? It seemed to perfect and neither was a predator or wished malice on the other
-maybe presented her as a femme fatale out of spite; he believed that women in relationships were evil
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-Lorenzo was innocent and only had good intentions, making him a tragic victim without a hamartia
-blurry between victim and villain as if he did not return to her in a dream, she may have been able to grieve and move on without her obsession
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-juxtaposition "fair Isabel, poor simple Isabel" has two contrasting ideas. Indicates she is innocent and vulnerable thus could be taken advantage of or hurt easily. May also suggest there will be two conflicting tones which could transcend into conflicting life and death; health and sickness; love and hate
-her brothers, the villains, ruefully take away her love and happiness through murdering Lorenzo and taking away the basil pot. She "died in drowsy ignorance" before she physically died
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Ultimately it is the circumstances around these young lovers which determine their sullen fate; a difference in social stays prevents their love from budding initially and the villains around them end it and cause their tragic deaths.
Perhaps therefore the world Keats places them in is the cause of sorrow and their agony is circumstantial and no fault of their own wrongdoings.
Is there a harmatia in the poem? If so, whose?
-it is questionable in this poem considering that the protagonists are both arguably tragic victims and experience a downfall at no fault of their own
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-Lorenzo's suffering is barely seen but the fact that he was murderer whilst being an innocent and genuine character is heartbreaking
-Isabella's suffering is the longest and most painful as it gets greater with time yet her final death is anti-climatic "and so she died forlorn"
-why did she deserve this suffering? Is her harmatria naïveté ans ignorance? Going against her brothers' patriarchal wishes? Against social norms? There are no clear not easily interpreted faults
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-Lorenzo never has a moment of clear realisation that they are both doomed, even after his death. The only interpretation of anagnorisis from his POV is him saying "my soul is to its doom" which may indicate that he's aware they cannot live without each other, not knowing that he will die first. Or, saying he is doomed to the tragedy of love.
-Isabella's anagnorisis comes about the same time as peripeteia: "I thought the worst was simple misery" her suffering begins a long time before her death so this realisation is one which realises a long and painful suffering must be endured until she finally dies and can live peacefully with Lorenzo
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-their love to begin with was emotionally straining and forbidden, almost foreshadowing an inevitable end to their relationship, as though it is impossible on Earth
-they "dream, and nightly weep" which again foreshadows Isabella's vision of Lorenzo's ghost and crying
-they are so consumed in their love that they become naive and unaware of the outside world, causing them to be very vulnervale
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-it was not caused by a fatal flaw. Perhaps their tragic death and inability to carry out their love was constructed as a product of Keat's cynical outlook on society and how, in a cruel world, love itself is seen as a hamartia
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—We could argue that the change of circumstances aren't actually a reversal of fortune for them, compared to the start of the poem. They both suffered immense strain and became love sick due to their inability to fulfil the love they desired. "Sick longing" was how they began and how Isabella ended
—her sorrow was incomparable to that of when Lorenzo died, consoling a basil plant on his head to avoid succumbing to the acceptance of loss. This only worsened and grew more extreme and consuming, leading to her death.
"Honeyless days" "delicious love and honeyed" "even bees... know there is richest juice in poison flowers"
The bees could be a metaphor for Lorenzo who has an unfortunate downfall for falling in love with Isabella. The honey could represent the sweetness of love or a sexual element of it. The latter quote may be a metaphor suggesting that bees will still drink honey because they want it, without knowing it is poisoned and will lead to their death. Therefore may mean that Lorenzo will fulfil his love (drink the honey) for Isabella in a situation that will lead to this death. This also suggests that his death in unavoidable because he does not see the "poison" coming. It could also show love in painful relationships (pain and pleasure) or love in death as Lorenzo's death is hinted.
—"Taste the blossoms" could be the love they cannot live without or the relationship they feel ill without during "honeyless days"
—"richest juice" VS "poison flowers" is a juxtaposition and indicated that Lorenzo drinks the honey (loves Isabella) oblivious to how it will lead to his death - making him more of a tragic victim
-represents love in painful relationships or love in death - Isabella still tries to drink the honey even when Lorenzo dies
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-after Lorenzo does, he reflects on the past from the other side, realising that death was all around him "sounds of life are round me knelling" so he realises that he could not escape dying if he were to love Isabella - he drank the poison and paid the price