Seeking Revenge for the End of Time

“Revenge” by Letitia Elizabeth Landon reflects the transition from unconditional love to forgotten love. The first two stanzas of the poem drown in sentimental tropes. This is especially apparent in the second stanza, “And swear your heart is as a shrine, / That only owns her sway.” There is no other room in the person’s heart than for his beloved. Additionally, it reiterates the total love begun in the first stanza. The phrase “gaze upon her” is repeated twice in the two opening lines which alludes to one set of eyes doting upon another. The first stanza continues, “Seem as you drank the very air / Her breath perfumed the while.” The imagery presented insinuates a romantic attitude where lovers are physically consuming one another. The love of the first two stanzas is physical and complete.

Furthermore, in the first two stanzas of the poem the narrator is speaking to a person outside of the poem. At the third stanza it becomes evident that the previous two stanzas were retrospectively spoken. The third stanza introduce a complete 180 in its sentimental feelings. The poem from here on presents a vengeful tone. The speaker says, “’Tis well I am revenged at last” meaning that the speaker finally understands and has condolence for all the bitter tears they wept for lost love.

The speaker has spent countless amounts of time pondering the list love and hoping for its redemption. This is clear from phrases such as, “The racking doubts, the burning fears…by the nights pass’d in sleepless care / The days of endless woe.” Still, what exactly has avenged all of these torments for the speaker? The answer comes at the seventh stanza, “this is fitting punishment / To live and love in vain— / Oh my wrung heart, be thou content, / And feed upon his pain.” The speaker understands the punishment as if they have also lived and loved in vain. But the best part of all is to see this outside person suffer and from what the speaker has felt before. In the next stanza the speaker further explains the lack of affection the outside person is receiving as they dote elsewhere. This unrequited love is just the revenge that the speaker sought.

The last two lines of the last stanza writes, “Ev’n I could almost pity feel, / For thou art nor beloved.” At first the use of nor appeared out of place and incorrect. However, understanding the poem in its parts—lost love, pain felt over that lost love, and then retribution—the ending makes perfect sense. The outside person is “nor beloved” in relation to the speaker. Neither of them have the love then seek. The speaker thus attains satisfaction and revenge from seeing her lost love suffer from the same pain.