Romantic literature focuses on themes of nature, emotion, individualism, and the supernatural. The document discusses two stories that exemplify aspects of Romantic literature: The first story is about a young man rescued from an enchantress known as a lamia by a wise philosopher. The second story is about a snake transformed into a woman who seduces and falls in love with a scholar, but is exposed as supernatural at their wedding by a philosopher and transforms back, killing her husband. Both stories explore themes of love, nature, and the supernatural that were of interest to Romantic writers through allegory and religious imagery.

1. What do you think Romantic
Literature means?

2. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJnTTlgjVs
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Make some notes about Romantic
Literature:
- key ideas
- what the writers were interested in
- who the writers were
- other details

3. An innocent young man is rescued from the
enchantment of a lamia through the aid of a wise
philosopher. A lamia – a mythical monster,
with the body of a woman or with
the head and breasts of a woman
and the body of a snake, said to
Discuss the aspects prey on human beings.
Synonyms – witch, hag.
of narrative in this
story.
What role do the following
play:
• allegory;
Character
Setting/place
• religious imagery;
Time • nature (think in terms of
Destination human nature also)
Voice • love?
View point

4. A snake who has the voice and compassion of a woman, begs a God to give her human
form. She has dreamed of a man and wishes to seduce him and fall in love. As she
transforms, she foams at the mouth and the grass around her dies.
She meets the man, a scholar, and they fall in love. They live together in her secluded
hide-out and are happy. The man begs for their love to become public and for them to
marry. She is nervous of this, but agrees to his wishes. He prepares to go and invite
people, but she begs him not to invite a particular philosopher. Whilst he is away, she
turns their home into a lavish wedding celebration.
The guests arrive and the ceremony takes place. The philosopher attends the wedding
in secret and denounces the woman as a snake. She cries out and transforms back and
leaves. Her husband dies of a broken heart.
What role do the following
Discuss the aspects play:
of narrative in this • allegory;
story. • religious imagery;
Character
Setting/place • nature (think in terms of
Time human nature also)
Destination
Voice
• love?
View point

5. An innocent young man is rescued from the
enchantment of a lamia through the aid of a wise
philosopher. What are the differences
Character
Setting/place between these two
Time
Destination stories/narratives?
Voice
View point
A snake who has the voice and compassion of a woman, begs a God to give her human
form. She has dreamed of a man and wishes to seduce him and fall in love. As she
transforms, she foams at the mouth and the grass around her dies.
She meets the man, a scholar, and they fall in love. They live together in her secluded
hide-out and are happy. The man begs for their love to become public and for them to
marry. She is nervous of this, but agrees to his wishes. He prepares to go and invite
people, but she begs him not to invite a particular philosopher. Whilst he is away, she
turns their home into a lavish wedding celebration.
The guests arrive and the ceremony takes place. The philosopher attends the wedding
in secret and denounces the woman as a snake. She cries out and transforms back and
leaves. Her husband dies of a broken heart.

6. ‘Lamia’ –1819 (revised 1820)
Lamia is transformed from serpent to woman,
and lives with Lycius, unseen by the world, in
her fairy palace.
Lycius insists upon marrying her publicly.
His old tutor comes to the wedding feast,
recognises Lamia’s true nature and denounces
her.
She disappears and Lycius dies.

7. • What is the most interesting about the
narrative of ‘Lamia’?