Lady+of+Shalott

Lady of Shalott- Lord Alfred Tennyson

The “Lady of Shalott” was first published in 1832. In 1842, Tennyson revised and improved it for his collection //Poems.// The Poem is divided into four equal parts that are numbered and every stanza contains nine lines that follow the AAAABCCCB pattern. All of the “A” and “C” lines follow the form of tetrameter whereas the “B” lines follow the form of trimester. Tennyson wrote the poem so that almost every fifth line of the stanza’s end with the word “Camelot” and the last word of each stanza is typically “Shalott”. Each stanza represents a different part in the poem, and ultimately focuses on different, significant parts of the plot. As the poem progresses, the stanza’s become longer. In the beginning they have only four lines and by the end of the poem each stanza has six lines. Tennyson also shifts from iambic to trochaic in order to create subtle shifts in the rhythm and add musicality to his poetry; the poem switches speeds quickly which emphasizes certain points within the narrative.

When writing the “Lady of Shalott”, Tennyson states that he was inspired by an Italian novella “Donna di Scalotta”, but there are also similarities between the Lady of Shalott and the Maid of Astolat from Thomas Malory’s //Le Morte d’Arthur.// There are similarities between the words “Shalott” and “Scalotta”; critics have suggested that Tennyson simply anglicized “Scalotta” into “Shalott”. The Lady of Shalott was also modeled after Elaine of Astolat. Both Elaine and the Lady of Shalott are stuck in a tower weaving tapestries and both of them had an unrequited love for Lancelot. However, when Elaine of Astolat dies, Lancelot feels true remorse and reflects on the sins he has committed, when the Lady of Shalott dies, he simply comments on her appearance in a shallow manner.

The Lady of Shalott is not described in a great amount of physical detail whereas Lancelot is. This reflects their personalities. The personality of the Lady of Shalott shines through the poetry despite the fact that we do not get a description. However, Lancelot’s shallow personality is shown in the way that he is described. Although he is described as being a handsome and noble knight, his description focuses mainly on his appearance.

Critics say that Tennyson’s poem is a reflection on the life of an artist in the early 19th century. Ricks states that the mirror described in the poem is not there simply for artistic value but rather is a necessary part of weaving as it allows the person to see the tapestry from the right side in order to ensure that they are not making any mistakes. The idea behind this notion is that the mirror removes her from reality. By following what is portrayed on the mirror, she is not producing a product that exists in reality but rather an inverted product of reality. This is a reflection on how she ultimately sees the world and how her reality is masked in illusions. The cracking of the mirror, in turn, symbolizes the end of her artistic ability.

Critics also suggest that Tennyson is speaking to how art remains even after an artist has died. Although the artist has passed on, people are still able to see and enjoy her art and therefore her art thrived in the world outside of her tower even though she did not. Tennyson is questioning whether seclusion is necessary for an artist to succeed. Nevertheless, Tennyson is suggesting that loneliness is essential for an artist.

Works Cited: ""The Lady of Shalott"" //"The Lady of Shalott"// 15 June 2012. Web. 1 Feb. 2015. . Kincaid, James R. "The Lady of Shalott." //The Lady of Shalott//. 1 Mar. 2001. Web. 1 Feb. 2015. Pound, Louise. "Notes on Tennyson's Lancelot and Elaine." //Modern Language Notes// 19.2 (1904): 50-51. Print. Walsh, John Michael. "Malory's Characterization of Elaine of Astolat." //Philological Quarterly// 59.2 (1980): 140-50. Print. Wright, Jane. "Victorian Poetry A Reflection on Fiction and Art in "The Lady of Shalott"" //Victorian Poetry// 41.2 (2003): 287-90. Print.