La Belle Dame sans Merci

The poem contains several enigmas, such as the identity of the speaker, the knight-at-arms, and the faery lady. Its premise itself is strange and draws attention to itself. Is the speaker just a passerby who has glimpsed the knight? Why is the speaker himself visiting a desolate landscape? Why is it important to describe the knight as a knight-at-arms? If the poem is read as an allegory, the speaker and the knight-at-arms can be seen as symbols that provide insights into these questions. In a symbolic reading, the speaker may not just be a random stranger but the alter-ego of the knight. Since the reader only sees the knight through the speaker’s eyes, the speaker may well be describing himself through a poetic framing device. The speaker—a stand-in now for the poet himself—is using the knight as a symbol for his own torments and creative journey.

The knight-at-arms represents the beleaguered creative and human spirit. He is in full armor because he is prepared to undertake a grand quest or a heroic journey. This journey could be the journey of life, or the poet’s delving into imagination. However, on this journey the knight encounters death and illness, or the excesses of the imagination, all personified in the lady.