The result of three years of work, the poem tells the Greek myth of Hero and Leander, two lovers, and the story of their forlorn fate.
Hunt later claimed in a poem about Bacchus and Ariadne that he was seeking to humanise myths and make them more understandable to the common people.
The collection was well received by contemporary critics and poets, including Thomas Carlyle, while more modern writers such as Edmund Blunden have criticised the flow of its narrative.
After the decline in circulation for his paper the Examiner following Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, Hunt began to focus more on his poetry.
In June, Hunt devoted his time to work on the second edition of The Story of the Remini while hoping to finish the collection during winter 1818.
[3] The poem begins with Ariadne waking into a half-conscious state:[4] The moist and quiet morn was scarcely breaking.
She starts with a small cry, And feels the empty space, and runs her eye O'er all the bower, and stretches from the bed One hasty foot, and listens with wild head.
And for a while delays to call his name, Pretending she should spoil his amorous game; But stops at last, her throat full-pulsed with fears.
(lines 22–35) She faints as she realises that Theseus has deserted her in a reversal of the opening:[6] The faithless bark, far off, leaning away.
(lines 41–45) This leads into a discussion of various possibilities for Theseus's leaving, with an emphasis that he left in the name of patriotism:[7] Some say that Theseus took this selfish flight From common causes — a cloyed appetite; Others, that having brought her sister there As well, he turned his easy love to her; And others, who are sure to quote Heaven's orders 50 For great men's crimes, though not for small disorders.
(lines 84–96) After Ariadne finds a crown that Theseus left before, the poem describes the arrival of Bacchus and his companions:[9] Suddenly from a wood his dancers rush.
Leaping like wines that from the bottle gush; Bounding they come, and twirl, and thrust on high Their thyrsuses, as they would rouse the sky; And hurry here and there, in loosened bands, And trill above their heads their cymballed hands: Some, brawny males, that almost show from far Their forceful arms, cloudy and muscular; Some, smoother females, who have nevertheless Strong limbs, and hands, to fling with and to press; And shapes, which they can bend with heavenward glare.
Sits the accomplished female womanly: Part of its light is round about her hair; And should her gentle cheek be wet with care, The tears shall be kissed off, as Ariadne's were.
This continues further into the plot, as Ovid describes Ariadne's distress over Theseus's absence in graceful manner whereas Hunt imitates a panicked state.
Hunt also claims that Theseus's abandonment of Ariadne was merely ploy that is similar to how modern governments use the same excuse for their misdeeds.
[14] The collection containing Bacchus and Ariadne was well received by contemporary critics with the London Magazine devoted a lengthy analysis to the works.