Painterly peacock feather laid across a folded blue and purple silk scarf.

Original artwork, not a still

John Keats

She was a gordian shape of dazzling hue,

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The line presents a dazzling figure as a tangled, intricate shape. Bright colour draws the eye, while the suggestion of knots makes the form difficult to unravel. Beauty and complexity arrive together, creating an impression that is striking to see but resistant to being easily understood.

Context reviewed

Share this quote