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What happens in John Keats’s “The Eve of St. Agnes”?
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John Keats
John Keats, drawing by Joseph Severn, 19th century.
John Keats’s "The Eve of St. Agnes" is a narrative poem written in Spenserian stanzas that serves as a culmination of the poet's earlier style.1
The poem conveys an atmosphere of passion and excitement by depicting the elopement of two youthful lovers. It is often contrasted with Keats’s ballad "La Belle Dame sans merci," which explores the destructive side of love, whereas "The Eve of St. Agnes" presents an idyllic view of the experience.12