The Lady of Shalott - Alfred Lord Tennyson

 

The Lady Of Shalott

[btn href="https://www.speedynotes.in/2023/07/tanche.html" target="" class="bt lg bt-success" btn] Syllabus for those who joined from the academic year 2022-25 [/btn]

[alert-success] Sixth Semester – Fantasy Literature [/alert-success]

Introduction

The Lady of Shalott is a famous poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, in the early 1800s. It tells the story of a mysterious woman who lives alone in a tower on an Island near Camelot, the legendary court of King Arthur. The poem is full of magic, sadness, beauty, and mystery and is one of the best examples of Victorian poetry.

The Setting of the Poem

The poem begins with a peaceful and beautiful picture of nature. There is a river, green fields, and people traveling toward Camelot.

“On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the world and meet the sky;''

These lines recalm the world but also introduce the faraway and dreamy place of Camelot, where life happens without the lady’s presence.

The Lady and her Curse

The Lady of Shalott lives in a tower on an island, surrounded by silence. She cannot look out the window or go outside because she is under a mysterious curse.

“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.”

To pass the time, she weaves a beautiful web, looking only at the world through a mirror. She sees people passing by but never joins them.

Tired of Shadows

The lady grows tired of only seeing life through reflections in the mirror. She wants to experience real life, not just its shadows.

“And moving through a mirror clear
That hangs before her all the year,
Shadows of the world appear.''

She is tired of being alone, tired of watching life without living it. She wants to be part of the real world, even if it’s dangerous.

“I am half sick of shadows”,

Sir Lancelot Appears

One day, the handsome and famous knight, Sir Lancelot, rides by her tower. His armour shines, and he looks like a hero from a dream.

“All in the blue unclouded weather
Thick-jewell'd shone the saddle-leather,
The helmet and the helmet-feather
Burn'd like one burning flame together
As he rode down to Camelot.”

The lady sees him and is deeply moved. He is so real and beautiful that she breaks the curse’s rule and looks directly out the window.

“She look'd down to Camelot.
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror crack’d from side to side;
The Lady of Shalott.”

‘The curse is come upon me,’ cried

The Journey to Camelot

Knowing the curse has begun, the Lady of Shalott goes to the river. She finds a boat, writes her name, and lies down inside.

“And down the river’s dim expanse
Like some bold seer in a trance.”

As she floats down the river, she sings her last song. Slowly, she dies before reaching Camelot.

“Heard a carol, mournful, holy,
Chanted loudly, chanted lowly,
Till her blood was frozen slowly,
And her eyes were darken’d wholly,
Turn’d to tower’d Camelot.”

The People of Camelot See Her

The people of Camelot find her body in the boat. They are silent and afraid. No one knows who she is or where she came from.
“Who is this? And what is here?
And in the lighted palace near"

Then, Sir Lancelot, the knight she had admired, sees her and speaks:

“She has a lovely face;
God in his mercy lend her grace,
The Lady of Shalott.”

His words are gentle and kind. He honors her, though he never knew her

Themes

1. Loneliness and Isolation

The Lady of Shalott lives alone in a tower on an island. She is cut off from the outside world by a mysterious curse. She cannot speak to anyone, go outside, or even look directly at life around her. Instead, she can only see it through a mirror, and she spends her time weaving a magical web-based on what she sees.

“There she weaves by night and day

A magic web with colours gay.”

Though the world outside is full of people, laughter, and activity, the Lady is completely alone. This deep feeling of isolation makes her long for a real connection.

2. Art vs. Real Life

The Lady’s weaving represents art. She is creating something beautiful by watching the world through her mirror, but she is not part of it. Her art is safe, but it is also empty.

“And moving through a mirror clear

That hangs before her all the year,

Shadows of the world appear.”

These shadows are not real. They are reflections of real life. She becomes tired of just watching and creating art. She wants to feel and live.

“I am half sick of shadows,” said

The Lady of Shalott.

This line shows her growing desire to leave her world of art and experience true life, even if it’s dangerous.

3. Love and Sacrifice

When Sir Lancelot rides by, the Lady sees a real person, full of energy and charm. She is so taken by him that she breaks the curse’s rule and looks out the window at Camelot.

“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.”

Her love and desire to be part of the world cause her to risk everything. She knows the curse will come, but she chooses love and life anyway. This shows how powerful love can be and how it sometimes leads to pain and loss.

4. Fate and Freedom

The curse is like fate—something she cannot control. But the Lady chooses to break free, even if it means she will die. This act makes her brave, not weak.

"And down the river’s dim expanse

Like some bold seer in a trance...

Did she look to Camelot.”

She sails to Camelot in a boat, knowing her journey is her last. But she finally does what she wants. This is her freedom, and though it leads to her death, it gives her life meaning and dignity.

Conclusion

The Lady of Shalott is a magical, beautiful, and tragic poem. It tells the story of a woman who lives in shadows—cut off from life and love. She chooses to leave her safe world of art and dreams to truly live, even though it kills her.

Tennyson expresses 

• the pain of being alone,
• the power of love and beauty,
• and the cost of freedom and choice. The poem expresses the depth of human emotions—desire, courage, sadness, and hope. Tennyson’s words make us feel the beauty and the heartbreak of the lady’s final journey.

Part I – Setting the Scene

"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 runs 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."

 Part II – The Lady's Life 

"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."

"And moving through a mirror clear
That hangs before her all the year,
Shadows of the world appear."

"I am half sick of shadows," said
The Lady of Shalott.

Part III – Sir Lancelot Appears

"A bow-shot from her bower-eaves,
He rode between the barley-sheaves,
The sun came dazzling through the leaves,
And flamed upon the brazen greaves
Of bold Sir Lancelot."

"From the bank and from the river
He flashed into the crystal mirror,
'Tirra lirra,' by the river
Sang Sir Lancelot."

Part IV – The Curse and Her Death

"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."

"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