Poetry · Chapter
LXXXIII explained
The crowd shouts 'Bellanaine for ever!' as the Princess, seated in a winged chair, bows gracefully and distributes jewels from a horn of plenty.
What happens
The crowd shouts 'Bellanaine for ever!' as the Princess, seated in a winged chair, bows gracefully and distributes jewels from a horn of plenty. The speaker defends her against the calumny that the jewels are worthless pebbles.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the King, overwhelmed by his own confession, reveals Bertha’s…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Social Critique and Mortality
The speaker defends Bellanaine against slander, critiquing those who dismiss her gifts as worthless.
Characters to notice
- Bellanaine
The fair Princess who bows from her winged chair and distributes jewels to the crowd.
- Unknown
The speaker who declares against the calumny regarding the jewels.
Key passages
“And ‘Bellanaine for ever!’ shouted they!”
The crowd cheered, 'Long live Bellanaine!'
The people express their loyalty to the Princess.
“While that fair Princess, from her winged chair, Bow’d low with high demeanour, and, to pay Their new-blown loyalty with guerdon fair, Still emptied, at meet distance, here and there, A plenty horn of jewels.”
The beautiful Princess, seated in her winged chair, bowed gracefully and, to reward their newfound loyalty, poured out a horn full of jewels at appropriate intervals.
Bellanaine distributes jewels as a reward for the crowd's allegiance.
“And here I (Who wish to give the devil her due) declare Against that ugly piece of calumny, Which calls them Highland pebble-stones not worth a fly.”
And I, wanting to be fair, speak out against the nasty rumor that calls them worthless Highland pebbles.
The speaker defends the value of the jewels against slander.
