The Glove and the Lions
The story ‘The Glove and Lion” is a ballad, a narrative represented in the form of a poem. King Francis hosts his favorite sport, the lion flight. A young woman tries to prove her love by throwing her gloves in the arena which eventually ends up in her insult due to her pride. All you need to know and learn about this poem is given below.
Meet the Author
- Leigh Hunt was a Romantic writer, essayist, editor, critic, and prolific poet of the Romantic movement in England.
- Born: 19th October, 1784
- Place of Birth: Southgate, London, United Kingdom
- Died: 28th August, 1859
- Major Works: Jenny Kiss’d Me, Captain Sword and Captain Pen, Abou Ben Adhem.
- Best Known For: He is known for his vivid descriptions, the lyrical quality of his verse, his delight in nature, and his mastery of mood and atmosphere.
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Summary of the Chapter
This poem is set against a medieval backdrop in ancient Rome, with King Francis being described as hearty and kind. It was a time when valor and gallantry were prized.
The poem begins with King Francis sitting in the court with the nobles and ladies, watching the lions fight in the sandpit. It was a form of entertainment for all those seated. Amongst them was Count De Lorge and his lover.
Ramped and roared the lions, with horrid laughing jaws;
They bit, they glared, gave blows like beams, a wind went with their paws;
As the lions enter the arena, they engage in a fierce and bloody battle, accompanied by a thunderous roar. The poet vividly describes the scene, evoking the days of chivalry when nobility gathered to watch such spectacles. King Francis comments that they were better off in the stands, observing the fight, rather than being participants in the brutal sport involving the beasts.
De Lorge’s love overheard the King, a beauteous lively dame
With smiling lips and sharp bright eyes which always seemed the same.
The Count’s lady-love, who was seated right there, overheard the King’s remarks. She was a beautiful and lively lady. A thought unexpectedly struck her. She believed that the Count was certainly very brave and would do anything to prove his love for her.
King, ladies, lovers, all look on; the occasion is divine;
I’ll drop my glove, to prove his love; great glory will be mine.
She decided to do something cunning and dangerous. According to the Count’s lady love, the occasion was divine for carrying out her act. She planned to drop her glove into the stadium where the Lions were battling. She wanted the love-struck Count to jump to retrieve the fallen glove and all glory would be hers.
The next moment, she dropped her glove into the arena of the duel. She then looked at him and flashed a smile. The Count bowed and jumped below without hesitation. He successfully retrieved the glove and returned fast. He went and sat back in his place. Then he threw the glove at the Lady’s face. This time, it was not out of love.
By God," said Francis, “rightly done!” and he rose from where he sat:
“No love,” quoth he, “but vanity, sets love a task like that.
The King stood up from his seat, expressing his support for the Count's actions. He acknowledged that the Count's decision was appropriate and commendable. However, the King remarked that true love is not demonstrated through assigning such tasks. Instead, he suggested that it is vanity that drives such actions.
The poet emphasizes that no true lover would risk their beloved's life. The Lady's attempt to flaunt her beauty exposed her vanity and lack of authentic love for her beloved.
Now let us take a look at some of the literary devices used in the story.
Simile
A simile compares two things using the words "like" or "as" to highlight similarities between them. Below are examples of similes.
Gave blows like beams
Brave as brave can be
Assonance
Assonance is a literary technique where the same or similar vowel sound is repeated. Find examples of assonance below:
Loved a royal sport (o sound)
Crowing show (o sound)
The poet also signifies about the animal abuse and cruelty. Click on Animal Cruelty to explore more.
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Above and Beyond the Text
The English Romantic Period
The English Romantic period began around the year 1798 and lasted roughly till 1837. Leigh Hunt was a central figure in the English Romantic period. Studying romantic literature is important because it can improve students' empathy, resilience, and decision-making powers. This kind of poetry embraces idealism. Students can improve their imaginative capabilities by studying these poems and getting in tune with their inner feelings. John Keats, P.B. Shelley, William Wordsworth, and Edgar Allen Poe are some examples of writers and poets in this genre.
Ballads
The lyrical ballads were different from the traditional ballads and they appeared during the period of Romanticism. Lyrical ballads were one of the important forms of Romantic literature. According to scholars, their appearance signaled the beginning of this era.
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The Glove and the Lions Questions and Answers
Below are a few questions that you can look out for your examinations and class tests. Stand out with perfectly written answers with help of Aneetta Class.
The central theme and message of the poem is that there is no place for vanity in true love. In risking the Count’s life with her vain act, the Lady-love loses all respect.
In this poem, one comes across universal human traits like love, selfishness, valor, and vanity. While describing, the poem never loses sight of these significant points.
This poem is written in the form of a ballad. A ballad is a poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas and it has a bouncy rhythm.