# XXIX explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by John Keats.

## What happens

The brothers tell Isabel that Lorenzo has suddenly sailed for foreign lands due to urgent business, urging her to abandon hope and accept her grief.

## Themes in this chapter

### Sorrow and Melancholy

Isabel is plunged into sorrow as she is told she will not see Lorenzo for days, with the promise of perpetual grief.

### Love and Loss

The brothers' lie aims to sever Isabel's hope of reunion with Lorenzo, emphasizing the theme of love threatened by loss.

## Character check-ins

### Isabel

Isabel is deceived by her brothers' false story about Lorenzo's departure and is urged to give up hope.

### Lorenzo

Lorenzo is falsely reported to have taken ship for foreign lands.

## Key lines

> They told their sister how, with sudden speed, Lorenzo had ta’en ship for foreign lands, Because of some great urgency and need In their affairs, requiring trusty hands.

The brothers informed their sister that Lorenzo had abruptly sailed away to foreign countries due to an urgent need for reliable help in their business matters.

_The brothers fabricate a story to deceive Isabel about Lorenzo's disappearance._

> Poor Girl! put on thy stifling widow’s weed, And ’scape at once from Hope’s accursed bands: To-day thou wilt not see him, nor to-morrow, And the next day will be a day of sorrow.

Unfortunate girl, dress yourself in the suffocating garments of a widow and free yourself from the cursed bonds of hope: you will not see him today, nor tomorrow, and the following day will bring only grief.

_The narrator laments Isabel's plight and advises her to abandon hope, as her future holds only sorrow._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_14_se/chapters/xxix
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_14_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_14_se/chapters