La Belle Dame Sans Merci Flashback Analysis

One of the objectives of an author is to guide the reader through the narrative for the plot to remain comprehensible. To entice the reader, the author uses literary techniques to convey a deeper meaning and understanding of the storyline. A flashback is an example of a technique that recalls past events. It is used to aid the reader in perception and to unlock some of the questions that may be present in the beginning of the story. How does the literary technique of a flashback enable readers to gain a better understanding of the story and how are authors utilizing flashbacks within the text to engage the reader? Authors may use flashbacks to revisit the occurence that leads to the present event in the plot. In the poetic ballad La Belle Dame Sans Merci by John Keats, the writer uses a flashback to clarify how the main character was found in a close to death state in the first stanza. The flashback was also used to introduce other important characters such as the mysterious lady and how her role affected

Readers can learn more about a character by reading through how they dealt with situations from the past. During the flashback in the dramatic monologue My Last Duchess by Robert Browning, the reader is able to learn more about the personality of the Duke and how he treated his late wife. As the Duke retells the story of when his wife was still alive, he made it seem as if her equal treatment of her subjects was a crime and it irritated him greatly; therefore, the Duke is interpreted as arrogant and possessive. It is easier for the reader to make connections and comparisons to the society, other characters, or even oneself as well. The more the reader learns about the character, they gain further understanding on the character’s actions and may gain a personal connection to their role. They may use this knowledge to expand and predict how their role may handle other scenarios as