Betrayal is a powerful theme in poetry, no matter how or when the poem was written. It’s an event that can inspire fury in even the most peaceful person and a topic that is nearly universally interesting to readers.
Many betrayal poems focus on relationships between two lovers, one of whom betrays their vows to the other. These poems usually include expressions of heartbreak, loss, hopelessness, anger, and in some cases, determination to get back at the person who broke their faith.
Betrayal poems aren’t always about relationships, though. It’s possible to find poems on this topic that explore faith and religion, families, jobs and careers, and more. This means that even if you’ve never been betrayed by someone you love, there’s likely a betrayal poem that feels quite close to an experience you are familiar with.
Christina Rossetti’s ‘Goblin Market,’ narrates the fantastical tale of Laura and Lizzie, delving into sin, redemption, and sisterhood.
The betrayal of Laura suggests a darker side of society, the manipulation of the innocent who lack worldly knowledge, hinting at the exploitation of young, naive female sexuality, resulting in a curse for women in patriarchal society. The goblins' 'kind and full of loves,' 'sugar-baited words,' and Lizzie's warning foreshadow their deceptiveness, while their suggestion of bodily exchange, i.e., Laura's hair, suggests sexual manipulation. The heartwrenching shock, pain, and embarrassment of betrayal are evident when 'Laura turned cold as stone,' realizing the truth in her moment of anagnorisis and 'said not one word in her heart's sore ache.' Goblins similarly try to betray Lizzie and turn into monsters when she doesn't yield.
Coleridge’s ‘Christabel’ is an uncompleted long narrative that tells the story of Christabel and Geraldine, featuring supernatural elements.
Betrayal is at the heart of ‘Christabel,’ driving the tension and emotional conflict. Geraldine’s deceitful nature and manipulation of Christabel’s trust highlight a profound sense of treachery. Coleridge portrays the pain and confusion that come with betrayal, making it a central and impactful theme of the poem.
‘Havisham’ by Carol Ann Duffy explores the psychological reality of Dickens’ Miss Havisham from a feminist perspective.
Betrayal is at the center of the speaker's suffering and disturbed psychological state as her life changed for the worse the day her fiancé chose their wedding day to abandon her, and jilted her at the altar. The speaker's violent anger, disturbing death wishes, and an intense desire for vengeance stem from the pain of her fiancé's vicious betrayal. Beneath her anger, the sadness of a broken trust drowned her, while a part of her remained still in disbelief, unable to accept the truth about someone she loved and trusted, leading to emotional tumult. Moreover, in 'Great Expectations', Miss Havisham's life was reduced to the sole purpose of revenge against men as she trains Estella (her adopted daughter) to break men's hearts, seeking her own revenge.
Beloved sweetheart bastard. Not a day since then
I haven’t wished him dead. Prayed for it
so hard I’ve dark green pebbles for eyes,
ropes on the back of my hands I could strangle with.
‘La Belle Dame sans Merci’ by John Keats is an intriguing narrative that explores death, decay, and love with a supernatural aura.
In 'La Belle Dame sans Merci,' betrayal is evident as the lady vanishes after professing love for the knight, leaving him abandoned and tormented. This act suggests her affection was a facade, betraying his trust. Additionally, the knight's dream, where pale figures warn of the lady's deception, hints at her history of ensnaring victims. Thus, her actions reveal deceit and manipulation, leaving the knight and others ensnared in her illusions and ultimately betrayed by her false promises of true love.
‘The Confessional’ by Robert Browning is a dramatic monologue following a woman who is betrayed for her blind faith.
This poem shows a devastating betrayal between a woman and a priest. Priests are depicted as holy men, trustworthy figures, who have good intentions for all, but in this story, the priest is the antagonist and kills the woman's lover. This particular betrayal is harsh, as the woman had no clue about possible betrayal, even if the readers did.
In Part IX, Damian and May enact their long-awaited plans to engage in adultery. Pluto ensures the two are discovered as he restores January’s sight.
This section of 'The Merchant's Tale' features the ultimate betrayal. May finally enacts her adulterous plans, betraying her marital vows to January: 'forsake all others'. However, the nature of this betrayal is worsened as she convinces January he did not see her engaging in intercourse with Damian after he witnesses the very event. She also convinces him that he should be apologetic to her, as what he saw was May restoring January's eyesight through superstitious medicine. Her betrayal goes largely unnoticed as she successfully manipulates January and they return to their life together.
‘Farewell, Ungrateful Traitor!’ by John Dryden swears off men and relationships. The speaker asserts that men are incapable of being truthful or loving as much as women.
In 'Farewell, Ungrateful Traitor!', betrayal is a key topic as the speaker addresses the deep sense of being wronged by a former lover. The poem explores the hurt caused by the lover's deceit, leading to a broader rejection of romantic relationships. This sense of betrayal drives the speaker's decision to distance herself from love.
Sylvia Plath’s ‘The Rival’ is about betrayal and conflict, comparing the rival to the cold, distant moon and capturing the frustration of unresolved tension.
Betrayal is at the heart of this poem. The speaker feels deeply hurt by someone they trusted, and that pain sticks around, causing frustration and anger. It’s clear that the betrayal isn’t just a one-time thing—it keeps affecting the speaker, making it hard to move on. This constant emotional wound highlights how betrayal can shape someone’s feelings long after the event itself.
‘A Curse for a Nation’ by Elizabeth Barrett Browning explores societal injustices and moral decay through varied stanza structures and rhyming schemes.
This poem delves into betrayal through its critique of societal injustices perpetrated by those in power. The speaker highlights the betrayal of trust and duty, condemning oppressive systems that exploit and harm the vulnerable. This portrayal underscores the theme of betrayal as a betrayal of moral responsibility and ethical principles, emphasizing the need for accountability and justice in the face of systemic wrongdoing.
‘Elegy to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady’ by Alexander Pope laments a lady’s tragic fate, delving into love, ambition, and the inevitability of mortality.
This poem delves into the topic of betrayal through the portrayal of the lady's "false guardian," who fails in the duty to care for her. The poem accuses this individual of betraying her trust and her brother's blood, emphasizing the magnitude of the betrayal. The consequences of this betrayal are reflected in the lady's suffering and tragic fate, making betrayal a central theme in the poem.
Browning’s ‘A Light Woman’ is a dramatic monologue in which the narrator tells how he disrupts a loving relationship between his friend and his friend’s lover. Through the narrator’s actions, the poem expounds on love and possessiveness.
Ultimately, 'A Light Woman' is a poem about a man who betrays his friend in one of the worst possible ways: with matters close to the heart. He does this in order to presumably protect his friend, but more so for his personal benefit. This ultimately hurts his friend and the woman in this twisted love triangle.
‘Latest Face’ is a doleful poem that offers a pained introspection and lament on the reasons relationships eventually fall apart.
Although a potentially unwarranted reaction, Larkin wrote this poem with strong feelings of betrayal after a woman he was romantically interested in was married. This followed years of non-commital flirtations between the two, which Larkin now regards as wasted time in this poem. The tone of betrayal is most apparent in the title and the first line of the poem, which suggest that the woman is duplicitous. She is donning her "Latest face", with the insinuation that she is dishonest for changing as a person.
Sonnet 142, ‘Love is my sin, and thy dear virtue hate,’ explores the dynamics of desire and morality in the speaker’s relationship.
The sonnet underscores the topic of betrayal as the speaker chastises his beloved for betraying him, stating, 'That have profaned their scarlet ornaments/ And sealed false bonds.' The speaker is embittered as the lady pursues sexual relationships with other men and 'find(s) it merits not reproving.' Conversely, the speaker reproves himself for his 'false bonds' of love or betrayal to her as he merely has a physical desire for the lady and not love.
Our Poem Guides, PDFs, Study Tools, and Articles are created by a team of qualified poetry experts to provide an unparalleled in-depth look into poetry.
