Compare how the authors portray betrayal in My Last Duchess and La Belle Dame

Sans Merci?

La Belle Dame Sans Merci is a ballad written by John Keats in 1819 about a
knight, who encounters a “faery’s child, siren presented as a “femme fatale”. My
Last Duchess is a dramatic monologue by Robert Browning about Cosimo I de
‘Medici’s daughter who married an old aristocrat, the Duke of Ferrara. This essay
will compare the ways Keats and Browning convey betrayal by considering the
titles, language used, literary techniques and the nature of the betrayal.

Both poets use impersonal names in their titles. Browning named his poem My
Last Duchess. The use of the possessive pronoun “My” conveys how the Duke’s
betrayal was by someone he felt was close to him. Moreover, the use of the word
“My” shows how the Duke felt that the duchess belonged to him, which was
contextually relevant as in those days women were considered the mans
possession. The use of the word “Last” implies that the Duchess is dead. From
this the reader can infer that the Duchess’s betrayal may have resulted in her
death. In contrast, Keats named his poem La Belle Dame Sans Merci. The use of “
La Belle” instead of a name shows how the betrayal of the Knight happened by
someone that was not close to him. The use of a pun conveys how the siren did
not have mercy on the Knight and therefore that is why he died. From this we
can infer that “La Belle Dame” left the Knight to die. The “faery’s child”
“enthralled” the knight and then betrayed him by leaving him “on the cold hill
side”.

Moreover, both of the betrayals stem from erotic encounters. In My Last Duchess
Browning describes how the Duchess “smiled” at everyone. Browning’s use of
“smile” as a symbol for sex and promiscuity emphasizes how the Duke felt
betrayed by his wife’s sexual encounters with other men, as she gave all men the
“same smile.” The use of sibilance conveys how the “smile” was not innocent and
had an underlying sinister tone as the Duchess treated all men as if they were the
Duke. Likewise, the betrayal from La Belle Dame Sans Merci stems from the
Knight’s highly erotic encounter with a siren. The knight dies on a hill after being
left by the Siren he has sex with. The knight’s last memories are filled with
fantasies. The Knight believes he went to the lady’s “elfin grot.” From this the
reader can infer that like many other knights of his time, he has Syphilis and
therefore his brain would have been deteriorating meaning he would have
experienced worrying symptoms.

Lastly, the poets both use structure to convey betrayal in different ways.
Browning’s use of a dramatic monologue conveys how it is just the Duke’s
perception as it is just his thoughts one long big verse emphasizes it – ends with
a warning Keats is impersonal get both sides – cyclical repetition with minor
adjustments both sides.
Men have different personalities Duke is in control control
Knight is tempted the type of betrayal is different no control

Betrayal results in Duke acting but not with his hands

Knight couldn’t act  powerless
Lang  Keats is narrative

Keats is medieval in setting

Browning is Renaissance in setting

Browning is disturbed mind

Knight – role reversal