ISABELLA QUOTES

"Fair Isabel, poor simple Isabel!"

The first line of the poem describes Isabella as an innocent and weak character. She comes across as the tragic victim.

"With every morn their love grew tenderer, with every eve deeper and tender still;"

There's a build up for a tragic downfall and a sense that the idea of order is going to be disrupted. (dramatic irony)

"But her full shape would all his seeing fill;"

Physical Description of Isabella - comes across as somewhat intimate and sexual on Lorenzo's part.

"Until sweet Isabella's untouched cheek."

Shows the purity of Isabella. That she is still sweet and innocents.

"Alas! When passion is both meek and wild!"

Narrators voice (sort of sarcastic) appears to mock the romance between these two characters. The narration brings the reader out of the story.

"A dreary night of love and misery,"

Contrast in nouns. Shows that not everything is perfect in this poem.

"Lorenzo!' - here she ceased her timid quest."

The first time Isabella speaks, also shows how they don't communicate their love to one another. Adding to the romance factor of this poem.

"Believe how I love thee,"

Lorenzo's confession of love - could be considered his hamartia. So this is a turning point within the poem.

"his erewhile timid lips grew bold,"

Development in character, he gains confidence when confessing love.

"Grew, like a lusty flower, in June's caress."

Their romance is used as a metaphor for their love.

"The inward fragrance of each other's heart."

Romantic imagery and description.

"Unknown of any, free from whispering tale."

Lorenzo and Isabella's love blinds them and how reality is nothing to them only love matters.

"Were they unhappy then? - it cannot be-"

Narrator breaks the story again, stopping us from getting attached to the characters.

"Too many tears for lovers have been shed,"

Narrator commenting and mocking past love poems.

"Know there is richest juice in poison-flowers."

Foreshadowing of what is to come within the poem.

"With her two brothers this fair lady dwelt, enriched from ancestral merchandise."

Introduction of the brother who can be considered to be the Tragic Villains within the story.

"And many once proud-quivering loins did melt."

Suggestion that the brothers are either attractive or intimidating.

"twas their plan to coax her by degrees to some high noble and his olive-trees."

They had a plan to use Isabella to gain more wealth and have personal gain, they also consider her as weak.

"To make the youngest for his crime atone;"

The brothers want Lorenzo to pay, for ruining their plan.

"To kill Lorenzo, and there bury him."

Blunt sentence contrasts the flowering language that is consistent throughout the poem.

"Bowed a fair greeting to these serpents' whine;"

Shows Lorenzo innocents and blindness towards the brothers plotting. Serpents have religions connotations of temptation.

"He saw her features bright."

Description as Isabella being happy, represents the clam before the storm.

"I was in pain lest I should miss bid thee a good morrow:"

Use of dramatic irony, the audience know that they are not going to see each other again.

"sick and wan the brothers' faces in the ford did seem."

Brother's disgust at Lorenzo's love.

"A forest quiet for the slaughter."

The natural environment has a purpose. Has bad connotation within this stanza.

"So the two brother and their murdered man"

Lorenzo is reduced to a dead man and becomes possession of the two brothers.

"There was Lorenzo slain and buried in,"

Blunt description of what happened. It isn't dragged out.

"Poor girl! put on thy stifling window#s weed,"

Isabella is considered weak, and has been manipulated.

"Spreading her perfect arms upon the air,"

Another description of Isabella being perfect and pretty.

"O misery!"

Narrator interrupts the story and the flow.

"But selfishness, love's cousin."

Good imagery.

"Came tragic - passion not to be subdued, and sorrow for her love in travels rude."

Idea of tragedy being put out there.

"in torched mines and noisy factories"

Separation of the world of love and the real world.