Not to be the bearer of bad news or anything, but we have to say that disappointment really goes hand and hand with lust. That's because "Romance Sonambulo" is not so much about the experience of lust and desire, as it is about the experience of frustrated love and desire. Still, we think there's a kind of nobility and purity in pursuing something simply for the sake of desire, even if it doesn't work out. What do you think?
Questions About Disappointment
- What do you think is wrong with the speaker's friend? How does that stop him from helping the speaker?
- Do you think the speaker would prefer to have the gypsy girl around, even if she's just out of reach? Or would he prefer it if she wasn't there at all? Why?
- Do you think the speaker has given up by the end of the poem? Or do you think he'll keep on desiring the green gypsy girl? How can you tell?
- What does disappointment taste like to you?
Chew on This
The poem shows that, without disappointment, there can be no desire.
The speaker's disappointment throughout the poem is a measurement of his commitment and persistence. In this way, disappointment is a kind of inspirational badge of honor (as opposed to a Boy Scouts merit badge of honor). Either way, it's something to be proud of.