Mapping Keats’s Progress: A Critical Chronology

Mapping Keats’s Progress
A Critical Chronology

References to this poem

Otho the Great: A Tragedy in Five Acts: Act V SCENE II

  • Another part of the Forest.
  • Enter ALBERT (wounded).
  • Albert. O! for enough life to support me on
  • To Otho’s feet!
  • Enter LUDOLPH.
  • Ludolph. Thrice villanous, stay there!
  • Tell me where that detested woman is,
  • Or this is through thee!
  • Albert. My good Prince, with me
  • The sword has done its worst; not without worst
  • Done to another, — Conrad has it home!
  • I see you know it All!
  • Ludolph. Where is his sister?
  • Enter AURANTHE.
  • Auranthe. Albert!
  • Ludolph. Ha! There! there! — He is the paramour! —
  • There — hug him — dying! O, thou innocence,
  • Shrive him and comfort him at his last gasp,
  • Kiss down his eyelids! Was he not thy love?
  • Wilt thou forsake him at his latest hour?
  • Keep fearful and aloof from his last gaze,
  • His most uneasy moments, when cold death
  • Stands with the door ajar to let him in?
  • Albert. O that that door with hollow slam would close
  • Upon me sudden! for I cannot meet,
  • In all the unknown chambers of the dead,
  • Such horrors!
  • Ludolph. Auranthe! what can he mean?
  • What horrors? Is it not a joyous time?
  • Am I not married to a paragon
  • “Of personal beauty and untainted soul” ?
  • A blushing fair-eyed purity! A sylph,
  • Beyond a flower pluck’d, mild as itself?
  • Albert, you do insult my bride — your mistress —
  • To talk of horrors on our wedding-night!
  • Albert.Alas! poor Prince, I would you knew my heart!
  • ’Tis not so guilty —
  • Ludolph. Hear you, he pleads not guilty!
  • You are not? or, if so, what matters it?
  • You have escap’d me, free as the dusk air,
  • Hid in the forest, safe from my revenge;
  • I cannot catch you! You should laugh at me,
  • Poor cheated Ludolph! Make the forest hiss
  • With jeers at me! You tremble — faint at once,
  • You will come to again. O cockatrice,
  • I have you! Whither wander those fair eyes
  • To entice the devil to your help, that he
  • May change you to a spider, so to crawl
  • Into some cranny to escape my wrath?
  • Albert. Sometimes the counsel of a dying man
  • Doth operate quietly when his breath is gone
  • Disjoin those hands — part — part — do not destroy
  • Each other — forget her! — our miseries
  • Are! almost 5 equal shar’d, and mercy is —
  • Ludolph. A boon
  • Your oratory; your breath is not so hitch’d.
  • Aye, stare for help! (ALBERT dies.
  • there goes a spotted soul
  • Howling in vain along the hollow night!
  • Hear him! he calls you — sweet Auranthe, come!
  • Auranthe. Kill me!
  • Ludolph. No! What? Upon our marriage-night?
  • The earth would shudder at so foul a deed!
  • A fair bride! A sweet bride! An innocent bride!
  • No! we must revel it, as ’tis in use
  • In times of delicate brilliant ceremony
  • Come, let me lead you to our halls again!
  • Nay, linger not; make no resistance, sweet —
  • Will you? Ah, wretch, thou canst not, for I have
  • The strength of twenty lions ’gainst a lamb!
  • Now — one adieu for Albert! — come away! (Exeunt.)

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MLA Style: Works Cited

Keats, John. “Otho the Great: A Tragedy in Five Acts: Act V SCENE II.” Mapping Keats’s Progress: A Critical Chronology, by G. Kim Blank. Edition 3.28 , University of Victoria, 24 September 2026. https://johnkeats.uvic.ca/poem_otho_act_v_scene_ii.html.

Chicago Style: Note

John Keats, “Otho the Great: A Tragedy in Five Acts: Act V SCENE II,” Mapping Keats’s Progress: A Critical Chronology, Edition 3.28 , last modified 24th September 2026. https://johnkeats.uvic.ca/poem_otho_act_v_scene_ii.html.

Chicago Style: Bibliography

Keats, John. “Otho the Great: A Tragedy in Five Acts: Act V SCENE II.” Mapping Keats’s Progress: A Critical Chronology, Edition 3.28 , last modified 24th September 2026. https://johnkeats.uvic.ca/poem_otho_act_v_scene_ii.html.