Boccaccio v Keats :: English Literature

Boccaccio v Keats In reading Lisabetta (Boccaccios version) and Isabella (Keats version) it can help us understand Keats intentions, plans and achievements better. Keats deliberately begins his poem with the lovers, Keats sees the lovers as the main focus and he wants to reinstate their importance. Keats puts effort into portraying the lovers as young and innocent and due to the brothers their relationship is ruined. 'fair Isabelle, poor simple Isabelle Lorenzo, a young palmer in loves eye.' Keats seems to write in such a realistic way, it comes across as autobiographical. Keats characterises the lovers differently to Boccaccio. In Keats they are shy with each other. 'So spake they to their pillows.' 'I may not speak and yet I will, and tell my love all plain.' Keats portrays them as being in tune with nature 'voice pleasanter than the noise of trees of hidden rill' and 'Lorenzo is more watchful over her than the falcon.' The main attraction between the two lovers happens in May/June. These are the summer months when love occurs, and eventually it 'grew like a lusty flower in Junes caress' Keats keeps the lovers innocent. In Boccaccio, Lorenzo is experienced 'he gave up all other amours' and the lovers quickly slept together 'each that they most desired' Keats on the other hand 'purifies' the lovers. They keep close company' in a bower of hyacinth and musk.' In Keats the brothers notice the love between them 'found by many signs' instead of caught popping into each others bedrooms. In Keats they noticed each other all the time. In living in the same house Keats takes trouble over unfolding their frustrations and love, for there is not much they can do (autobiographical). We now start to care about them. Both know the danger of the lovers class difference, but the fact that they cant be together seems to fuel their lust. 'Even bees knows there is richest juice in poison flowers' Another big difference between the poems is the concentration put towards the brothers. In Keats the brothers are introduced late on and the characteristics have been moulded around evil. In Boccaccio the brothers are introduced at the very beginning of the poem and their decision about killing Lorenzo is more to do with wanting the sister to be happy without consulting the sister. (In Keats) the brothers work their servants to death. 'The Ceylon diver went all naked to the hungry shark' Their money is made on the back of great cruelty 'the workers did melt in blood from the stinging whip' The brothers cruelty seems to stand for the abuse of the early