John Keats' Lamia

            Keats’ Lamia begins with an anecdote about Hermes’ pursuit of a Cretan island nymph whose reputation as an adored beauty infatuates him. In his search for the nymph, he comes across a serpent tortured with its bodily form. A dichotomy between the serpent’s animal qualities and woman-like qualities is introduced, “Her head was serpent, but ah, bitter-sweet! She had a woman’s mouth with all its pearls complete.” (li. 59-60). Hermes and the serpent agree with an oath to make an exchange. The serpent reveals the nymph is made invisible due to her power, “by my power is her beauty veil’d” (li. 100), for the purpose of preserving her beauty from the assailing “love-glances of unlovely eyes” and keeping her loveliness free. This suggests these lustful glances have the power to possess, corrupt or even imprison the nymph. The serpent agrees to reveal the nymph to Hermes if he grants her human form so she can be with “a youth of Corinth” (li. 119)- later revealed to be Lycius. The serpent breathes upon Hermes’ brow and grants him sight of the nymph. Hermes and the nymph embrace and flee into the woods as immortal lovers.

            Meanwhile, the serpent begins her bodily change, during which the foam from her mouth falls upon the grass, which withers when met with “dew so sweet and virulent” (li. 149). This introduces the theme of the sweet and poisonous, which can be paralleled with Lamia herself or Lamia and Lycius’ passionate love without restraint. The serpent’s change is described as an undressing, to the point where the scales are described as silver mail and gems. The serpent is reborn as Lamia, a “full-born beauty” (li. 172) Lamia is described as “a virgin purest lipp’d, yet in the lore of love deep learned” (li. 189), which suggests a division between experiential/physical and knowledgeable/mental innocence. Keats reveals that while Lamia was a serpent, she could send her spirit wherever she pleased. While in this state, she caught sight of Lycius and “fell into a swooning love of him” (li. 219). She returns to this place in her new form as a woman and demands for Lycius to look back at her. He does and immediately falls into dependent, unrestrained love with her, saying, “even as thou vanishest so I shall die” (li. 260), which foreshadows the end of the poem. 

             Having just met Lamia, Lycius begs her to stay with him, of course. His infatuation with her has become self-sustaining. Lamia responds with apprehension to leave her home and her attachment to the immortal world but eventually gives in and ends up singing him a song instead. Lamia and Lycius travel to Corinth, a triple league away, in a few paces under Lamia’s spell, to which Lycius is comfortably oblivious. Lycius and Lamia pass Appollonius, an old sage, in Corinth. Lycius shields his eyes from him and Lamia shudders at the sight of him. Lycius and Lamia sleep on a couch and Lycius is startled by the sound of trumpets, which awakens a thought. Lamia “began to moan and sigh because he mused beyond her, knowing well that but a moment’s thought is passion’s passing bell” (Part 2, li. 37-39). The trumpet catalyzes Lycius thought and reintroduces reason, previously void in their relationship. Lamia sees this reason as a disruption of passion and believes she cannot remain in his heart if there are thoughts in his head. Lycius reveals his thought to be a proposal of marriage so he can introduce her to the mortal world. Lamia at first objects but then agrees on the condition Appollonius is not invited. Lamia decorates herself and the banquet-room, dressing “the misery in fit magnificence” (li. 116). Appolonius shows up anyways and everyone is adorned with wreaths. Lamia and Appollonius meet eyes and he entrances her, with “no recognition in those orbs” (li. 260). Lycius tries to snap her out of it and denounces Appolonius, but Appolonius calls him a fool, then reveals Lamia’s identity as a serpent, to which she vanishes and Lycius dies without her.

1. Appolonius’ revelation of Lamia’s identity as a serpent causes her to vanish. What is the significance of Applonius the philosopher’s power over Lamia’s existence? Why is the philosopher chosen by Keats as the revelator of truth?

2. What is the significance of Lamia’s undressing or shedding of her serpent’s skin? Did Keats intend this as a literary statement on past portrayals of the Lamia?

3.What is the importance of including Hermes and the nymph’s anecdote? Is there a parallel between the immortal and mortal lovers, or a distinction?