Jezebel

i think the important part of the story that a lot of people overlook is the fact that jezebel wasn't even an isrealite, she was a foreign princess married off to ahab for political reasons. she refused to give up her traditions, specifically her religion, and held fast to what she believed. this made her strongwilled, individualistic and powerful, which were obviously bad qualities in a woman.

granted, then she went and ordered a lot of people murdered which no one can really put in a good light, but maybe that's just something royalty did in those days.

i think, given the story, the song's about a man who is very much in love and devoted to a strong but incredibly tortured woman. the line "and hold like a breeze half as tight as both eyes closed" could mean that he couldn't hold her too tight, that he had a tentative grasp and tentative control over the whole relationship. it almost sounds to me like hoping against hope that she'll stay.

i especially like the line "she was born to be the woman we could blame / make me a beast half as brave, i'd be the same". jezebel's powerful, and she's hated for it, but it's because she's not like anyone else. she's unafraid to be different, and becomes something like a goddess ("you're the only shape i pray to") in the singer's mind.

i think the end of the song finds jezebel fully aware of the fact that her destruction is fast approaching, with her looking out the window and seeing the dogs that are fated to eat her. her only destiny is to be destroyed by others' fear and hatred, and she has to leave her lover behind.

some people come along who aren't for this world at all, and the world destroys them. some people are unfortunate enough to fall in love with them, even though they can never be together, and it's heartbreaking.