'The Lady of Shalott' by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
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On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;
And through the field the road run by
To many-tower'd Camelot;
And up and down the people go,
Gazing where the lilies blow
Round an island there below,
The island of Shalott.
Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Through the wave that runs for ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four grey walls, and four grey towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle imbowers
The Lady of Shalott.
Only reapers, reaping early,
In among the beared barley
Hear a song that echoes cheerly
From the river winding clearly;
Down to tower'd Camelot;
And by the moon the reaper weary,
Piling sheaves in uplands airy,
Listening, whispers, " 'Tis the fairy
The Lady of Shalott."
There she weaves by night and day
A magic web with colours gay.
She has heard a whisper say,
A curse is on her if she stay
To look down to Camelot.
She knows not what the curse may be,
And so she weaveth steadily,
And little other care heat she,
The Lady of Shalott.
And moving through a mirror clear
That hangs before her all the year,
Shadows of the world appear.
There she sees the highway near
Winding down to Camelot;
And sometimes through the mirror blue
The knights come riding two and two.
She hath no loyal Knight and true,
The Lady of Shalott.
But in her web she still delights
To weave the mirror's magic sights,
For often through the silent nights
A funeral, with plumes and lights
And music, went to Camelot;
Or when the Moon was overhead,
Came two young lovers lately wed.
"I am half sick of shadows," said
The Lady of Shalott.
A bow-shot from her bower-eaves,
He rode between the barley sheaves,
The sun came dazzling thro' the leaves,
And flamed upon the brazen greaves
Of bold Sir Lancelot.
A red-cross knight for ever kneel'd
To a lady in his shield,
That sparkled on the yellow field,
Beside remote Shalott.
His broad clear brow in sunlight glow'd;
On burnish'd hooves his war-horse trode;
From underneath his helmet flow'd
His coal-black curls as on he rode,
As he rode down to Camelot.
From the bank and from the river
He flashed into the crystal mirror,
"Tirra lirra," by the river
Sang Sir Lancelot.
She left the web, she left the loom,
She made three paces through the room,
She saw the helmet and the plume,
She look'd down to Camelot.
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror crack'd from side to side;
"The curse is come upon me," cried
The Lady of Shalott.
In the stormy east-wind straining,
The pale yellow woods were waning,
The broad stream in his banks complaining.
Heavily the low sky raining
Over tower'd Camelot;
Down she came and found a boat
Beneath a willow left afloat,
And around about the prow she wrote
The Lady of Shalott.
And down the river's dim expanse
Like some bold seer in a trance,
Seeing all his own mischance -
With a glassy countenance
Did she look to Camelot.
And at the closing of the day
She loosed the chain, and down she lay;
The broad stream bore her far away,
The Lady of Shalott.
Heard a carol, mournful, holy,
Chanted loudly, chanted lowly,
Till her blood was frozen slowly,
And her eyes were darkened wholly,
Turn'd to tower'd Camelot.
For ere she reach'd upon the tide
The first house by the water-side,
Singing in her song she died,
The Lady of Shalott.
Under tower and balcony,
By garden-wall and gallery,
A gleaming shape she floated by,
Dead-pale between the houses high,
Silent into Camelot.
Out upon the wharfs they came,
Knight and Burgher, Lord and Dame,
And around the prow they read her name,
The Lady of Shalott.
Who is this? And what is here?
And in the lighted palace near
Died the sound of royal cheer;
And they crossed themselves for fear,
All the Knights at Camelot;
But Lancelot mused a little space
He said, "She has a lovely face;
God in his mercy lend her grace,
The Lady of Shalott."
.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Lady of Shalott: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
The Lady of Shalott is a poem that has captured the imaginations of readers for generations. Written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in 1832, it tells the story of a woman who is cursed to live her life in a tower, weaving a tapestry that depicts the world beyond her prison walls. The poem is filled with vivid imagery and symbolism, and its themes of love, beauty, and freedom continue to resonate with readers today.
The Plot
The poem begins with a description of the Lady's tower, which is located on the island of Shalott in the middle of a river. The Lady is a weaver who spends all her days weaving a tapestry that depicts the world outside her tower. She is under a curse that forbids her from looking directly out of her window and watching the world outside. Instead, she is only allowed to look at the world through a mirror that reflects the images from a nearby road and the people who travel it.
One day, the Lady sees Sir Lancelot riding on the road, and she is immediately enchanted by him. She leaves her tower and takes a boat down the river towards Camelot, singing a melancholy song as she goes. However, the Lady never makes it to Camelot; she dies before she gets there, and her body is found floating in the river.
The Symbolism
The Lady of Shalott is filled with symbolism, and one of the most striking examples is the Lady's tapestry. The tapestry represents the Lady's imprisonment and her inability to experience the world directly. It also represents the power of art and imagination, as the Lady is able to create a vivid picture of the outside world through her weaving.
The mirror that the Lady uses to view the world outside is also symbolic. It represents the Lady's isolation and her reliance on indirect experience. The fact that the mirror reflects the outside world in a distorted way also suggests that the Lady's view of the world is incomplete and flawed.
The river that surrounds the island of Shalott is another important symbol. It represents the boundary between the Lady's world and the outside world. The fact that the Lady dies in the river suggests that she was never able to cross this boundary and fully experience the world.
The character of Sir Lancelot is also symbolic. He represents the world outside the Lady's tower and the freedom that she desires. However, his appearance in the poem also represents the Lady's downfall. Her fascination with him leads her to leave her tower and ultimately leads to her death.
The Themes
The Lady of Shalott is a poem that explores several themes, including love, beauty, and freedom. One of the main themes of the poem is the power of art and imagination. The Lady's tapestry represents the ability of art to create a world of its own, and her weaving represents the power of imagination to allow us to experience the world in new ways.
Another theme of the poem is the limitations of indirect experience. The Lady's reliance on the mirror to view the world suggests that indirect experience is incomplete and flawed. The fact that the Lady's view of the world is distorted and incomplete also suggests that our own experience of the world is limited by our perspective.
The theme of love is also central to the poem. The Lady's fascination with Sir Lancelot represents her desire for love and freedom. However, her inability to experience these things directly ultimately leads to her downfall.
The Style
The Lady of Shalott is written in a lyrical and musical style that is typical of Tennyson's poetry. The poem is filled with vivid imagery and descriptions that create a dreamlike atmosphere. The repetition of certain phrases, such as "the Lady of Shalott" and "in the tower," creates a sense of rhythm and musicality that adds to the poem's beauty and elegance.
Tennyson also uses a variety of poetic techniques in the poem, including alliteration, rhyme, and repetition. These techniques help to create a sense of unity and coherence throughout the poem.
The Interpretation
The Lady of Shalott is a poem that continues to fascinate readers today. Its themes of love, beauty, and freedom are timeless and universal, and its vivid imagery and symbolism make it a work of great artistry and beauty.
One possible interpretation of the poem is that it represents the limitations of human experience. The Lady's inability to experience the world directly suggests that our own experience of the world is limited by our perspective. The fact that the Lady's view of the world is distorted and incomplete also suggests that our own understanding of the world is flawed.
Another interpretation of the poem is that it represents the power of art and imagination. The Lady's tapestry represents the ability of art to create a world of its own, and her weaving represents the power of imagination to allow us to experience the world in new ways.
Overall, The Lady of Shalott is a poem that is rich in symbolism, imagery, and themes. It is a work of great beauty and elegance, and its themes of love, beauty, and freedom continue to resonate with readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Lady of Shalott: A Masterpiece of Victorian Poetry
Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "The Lady of Shalott" is a classic poem that has been celebrated for its lyrical beauty, its haunting imagery, and its exploration of themes such as love, death, and the power of art. Written in 1832, the poem tells the story of a young woman who is trapped in a tower on the island of Shalott, cursed to weave a tapestry and never look out at the world directly. However, when she sees the handsome knight Sir Lancelot riding by, she cannot resist the temptation to look at him, and her fate is sealed. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and symbolism of "The Lady of Shalott," and examine why it remains a timeless masterpiece of Victorian poetry.
Themes
One of the central themes of "The Lady of Shalott" is the conflict between art and life. The Lady is a weaver, and her tapestry is her art. However, she is also a prisoner, cut off from the world and unable to experience life directly. When she sees Sir Lancelot, she is drawn to him because he represents the world outside her tower, the world of passion, love, and adventure. However, by looking at him directly, she breaks the spell that has kept her safe, and she is doomed to die. This conflict between art and life is a common theme in Victorian literature, as writers struggled to reconcile the demands of the imagination with the realities of the world.
Another theme of the poem is the power of love. The Lady is drawn to Sir Lancelot because he represents everything she has been denied: freedom, passion, and love. However, her love for him is also her downfall, as it leads her to break the spell that has kept her safe. Tennyson portrays love as a force that can both liberate and destroy, a theme that is also explored in his other works, such as "In Memoriam" and "Maud."
Imagery
One of the most striking aspects of "The Lady of Shalott" is its vivid and haunting imagery. Tennyson uses a variety of techniques to create a sense of mystery and foreboding, such as repetition, alliteration, and symbolism. For example, the repeated phrase "the curse is come upon me" creates a sense of inevitability and doom, while the alliteration in lines such as "the mirror crack'd from side to side" adds to the sense of tension and unease.
Tennyson also uses symbolism to great effect in the poem. The Lady's tapestry, for example, represents her art and her isolation from the world, while the mirror symbolizes her limited view of reality. The river that carries her body to Camelot represents the journey from life to death, while the "four gray walls" of her tower represent her confinement and her separation from the world. These symbols add depth and complexity to the poem, and help to create a sense of mystery and wonder.
Symbolism
In addition to the symbols mentioned above, "The Lady of Shalott" is rich in other forms of symbolism. For example, the image of the "web" that the Lady weaves is a metaphor for the web of fate that surrounds her. She is trapped in this web, unable to escape her destiny, just as a spider is trapped in its own web. The image of the "curse" that has been placed upon her is also symbolic, representing the idea that she is a victim of forces beyond her control.
Another important symbol in the poem is the image of the "mirror." The Lady is only able to see the world indirectly, through the reflection in her mirror. This symbolizes the limited view of reality that artists and poets often have, as they are forced to rely on their imagination and their own perceptions to create their art. However, the mirror also represents the Lady's isolation from the world, as she is unable to experience life directly.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "The Lady of Shalott" is a masterpiece of Victorian poetry that explores themes such as love, death, and the power of art. Through its vivid imagery, haunting symbolism, and lyrical beauty, the poem captures the imagination and the emotions of its readers, and continues to be celebrated as one of the greatest works of English literature. Whether read as a cautionary tale about the dangers of passion and desire, or as a celebration of the power of art to transcend the limitations of the human condition, "The Lady of Shalott" remains a timeless and unforgettable work of poetry.
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