The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Tennyson - Explanation
The poem is written by Alfred Tennyson, a major Victorian poet. It derives the inspiration from the Arthurian legends of Elaine of Astolat. The poem is divided into four parts. Part I introduces us to the physical setting of the region of Shalott and nearby places. Part II describes the mysterious character of the lady of Shalott and the curse upon her. Part III deals with the description of the hero, Sir Lancelot. Part IV tells the unfortunate fate of the lady after running away from the tower.
Part I
Stanza 1
On the side of the river lie the fields of Barley and Rye which covers the land and spread in a large area such that it "meet the sky" and there is a road which goes through fields to the castle of Camelot which constitutes of many towers. People walking through the road gaze the lilies grown around the island of Shalott.
Stanza 2
The breeze blows through the trees of willows and aspens and shakes them, it blows so fast that it strikes the waves of the river which flows to Camelot. The castle of Camelot consist of four gray walls and four gray towers and the flowers surround the place which is usually ignored by viewers. The uncrowded island shelters the lady of Shallot.
Stanza 3
The bank of the river is populated with the Willow trees. The horses carry the heavy barges and shallops i.e. small boat sailing smoothly to Camelot. The mysterious lady remains anonymous, no one has seen her waving her hand and socialize. She never stands on the window, it appears that she is unknown to people.
Stanza 4
In the early morning, the reapers working in productive Barley fields hear a pleasant voice coming from the Towers of Camelot. By the dusk, the tired reapers piling the sheaves listen to the song and whisper to each other that the singer of the song is the fairy lady of Shalott.
Part II
Stanza 1
The lady engages in her work of weaving all day and night. She weaves a colourful "magic web(fabric)". She has heard a rumour that a curse is inflicted on her if she stopped her work and look down to Camelot and establishment. She isn't aware of the consequences if she defiance against the curse. That's why she weaves consistently and doesn't care about anything else.
Stanza 2
The place where she engages in her duty has a mirror that hangs before her all the time and in which she glance at the outer world entities such as the highway, whirling movements in the river etc. She noticed the rural bad-tempered persons, girls wearing red cloaks heading to the market, passing through the nearby road.
Stanza 3
Sometimes a group of young maidens in a frolicking mood, an abbot (superior of monks) who walks in soft footsteps and a curly-haired shepherd boy or a long-haired page in crimson clothing, pass by the towers of Castle where the lady resides. Sometimes the lady sees in her mirror a couple of Knights riding but no devoted knight come to visit her.
Stanza 4
The lady still tries to busy herself in her web, gathering inspiration from the exquisite sights appeared in the mirror. Often during the silent nights, processions of a funeral with lights and music go to Camelot or under the moon when two young lovers recently married come. She feels jealous of the lovers because she has never got the chance to experience love that's why she doesn't want to watch someone making love and says that she is half sick of shadows.
Part III
Stanza 1
The gaze of the lady strikes like a bow-shot to a spectacular personality who ride through the fields where lie the sheaves of barley. The sun shines intensely and dazzles on the hard surface of the armour of him. The impressive visit is of bold Sir Lancelot, who is a respected knight who kneels before a lady in his protection. His shield sparkle under the sunlight on the field of barley, situating next to remote Shalott.
Stanza 2
The headgear of horse rode by the Sir Lancelot is glittering due to the gems decorated on it. The poet compares the glittering to a cluster of stars "in the golden galaxy". As the knight ride to the Lancelot, the bridle bells ring merrily. He wears a belt marked by a state symbol on it, also a big silver bugle (a horn used for military calls) hang on it. While he rides to Shalott, his armour makes a sound.
Stanza 3
During the moderate weather, the knight's saddle, helmet, and its feather appear shiny as he rode to Camelot. The poet compares him to a heavy meteor trailing light above the stars moves over the still and silent town of Shalott.
Stanza 4
Again in this stanza, the poet highlights the amazing features of the knight. He says that his brow glows in sunlight and his horse's hooves (foot) are shiny and smooth. His "coal-black" hairs are visible and flow from under his helmet. When he goes to the bank of the river, the lady notices him through her crystal mirror. He hums a song named "Tirra lirra" by the river.
Stanza 5
The knight and his royal features attract the lady, she has already lived a lonely and boring life, she decides to take an unusual step of going against her curse. She left her weaving work and saw the blooming of water lily, knight's helmet, and its feather and finally looked down to Camelot. Her web flows and floated away from her, the mirror shatters from side to side. The lady perceives that she is in great trouble and remembers the curse upon her.
Part IV
Stanza 1
The stanza reflects the abnormality of natural entities, the wind blows fast and violently like a storm. The old trees can't bear the brunt of nature and its yellow leaves shed it. The water stream also witnesses unusual happenings and it is about to rain heavily on Camelot. The lady comes down from the tower and found a floating boat beneath a willow. On the front portion of the boat, she scribes her name on it.
Stanza 2
While boarding the boat, she glances her dull face in the water. The poet calls her to a "some bold seer(one who can foresee the future)" as she is aware of her doomed fate, still, she goes ahead, breaks the barriers. At the end of the day, she loosens the chain of the boat and she lies down in the boat. The stream of the river flows the boat away from the tower.
Stanza 3
The lady is dressed in loose white clothes, leaves of trees falls on her. Through the night, the lady flows down to Camelot, her boat heads along the beautiful high hills and fields and sing a song. The poet says that these hills and fields "heard her singing her last song", he gives hint that the lady will eventually die.
Stanza 4
These non-living entities heard her holy and sad song. Sometimes she sings loudly and other times in low voice. She sings till her body and blood get too cold, her eyes turn dark completely. After reaching human establishment, the first house she reached along the river, she dies singing her song.
Stanza 5
She reached Camelot silently while her body among houses, she goes by a tower, balcony, garden-wall and gallery. When the boat reaches a dock, she is noticed by people surrounding the area, young man, and women, knights, nobles, middle-class people. They read her name written on the boat.
Stanza 6
The general reaction of the people is visible when an accident takes place and questions are asked by them such as who was the lady, what has happened there. They took this accident as an omen for further bad news. No one express sympathy except Sir Lancelot, he expresses his condolence and praise her beauty and pray to god for her blessings.
Some Literary devices are given below:-
Part I
Stanza 1
On the side of the river lie the fields of Barley and Rye which covers the land and spread in a large area such that it "meet the sky" and there is a road which goes through fields to the castle of Camelot which constitutes of many towers. People walking through the road gaze the lilies grown around the island of Shalott.
Stanza 2
The breeze blows through the trees of willows and aspens and shakes them, it blows so fast that it strikes the waves of the river which flows to Camelot. The castle of Camelot consist of four gray walls and four gray towers and the flowers surround the place which is usually ignored by viewers. The uncrowded island shelters the lady of Shallot.
Stanza 3
The bank of the river is populated with the Willow trees. The horses carry the heavy barges and shallops i.e. small boat sailing smoothly to Camelot. The mysterious lady remains anonymous, no one has seen her waving her hand and socialize. She never stands on the window, it appears that she is unknown to people.
Stanza 4
In the early morning, the reapers working in productive Barley fields hear a pleasant voice coming from the Towers of Camelot. By the dusk, the tired reapers piling the sheaves listen to the song and whisper to each other that the singer of the song is the fairy lady of Shalott.
Part II
Stanza 1
The lady engages in her work of weaving all day and night. She weaves a colourful "magic web(fabric)". She has heard a rumour that a curse is inflicted on her if she stopped her work and look down to Camelot and establishment. She isn't aware of the consequences if she defiance against the curse. That's why she weaves consistently and doesn't care about anything else.
Stanza 2
The place where she engages in her duty has a mirror that hangs before her all the time and in which she glance at the outer world entities such as the highway, whirling movements in the river etc. She noticed the rural bad-tempered persons, girls wearing red cloaks heading to the market, passing through the nearby road.
Stanza 3
Sometimes a group of young maidens in a frolicking mood, an abbot (superior of monks) who walks in soft footsteps and a curly-haired shepherd boy or a long-haired page in crimson clothing, pass by the towers of Castle where the lady resides. Sometimes the lady sees in her mirror a couple of Knights riding but no devoted knight come to visit her.
Stanza 4
The lady still tries to busy herself in her web, gathering inspiration from the exquisite sights appeared in the mirror. Often during the silent nights, processions of a funeral with lights and music go to Camelot or under the moon when two young lovers recently married come. She feels jealous of the lovers because she has never got the chance to experience love that's why she doesn't want to watch someone making love and says that she is half sick of shadows.
Part III
Stanza 1
The gaze of the lady strikes like a bow-shot to a spectacular personality who ride through the fields where lie the sheaves of barley. The sun shines intensely and dazzles on the hard surface of the armour of him. The impressive visit is of bold Sir Lancelot, who is a respected knight who kneels before a lady in his protection. His shield sparkle under the sunlight on the field of barley, situating next to remote Shalott.
Stanza 2
The headgear of horse rode by the Sir Lancelot is glittering due to the gems decorated on it. The poet compares the glittering to a cluster of stars "in the golden galaxy". As the knight ride to the Lancelot, the bridle bells ring merrily. He wears a belt marked by a state symbol on it, also a big silver bugle (a horn used for military calls) hang on it. While he rides to Shalott, his armour makes a sound.
Stanza 3
During the moderate weather, the knight's saddle, helmet, and its feather appear shiny as he rode to Camelot. The poet compares him to a heavy meteor trailing light above the stars moves over the still and silent town of Shalott.
Stanza 4
Again in this stanza, the poet highlights the amazing features of the knight. He says that his brow glows in sunlight and his horse's hooves (foot) are shiny and smooth. His "coal-black" hairs are visible and flow from under his helmet. When he goes to the bank of the river, the lady notices him through her crystal mirror. He hums a song named "Tirra lirra" by the river.
Stanza 5
The knight and his royal features attract the lady, she has already lived a lonely and boring life, she decides to take an unusual step of going against her curse. She left her weaving work and saw the blooming of water lily, knight's helmet, and its feather and finally looked down to Camelot. Her web flows and floated away from her, the mirror shatters from side to side. The lady perceives that she is in great trouble and remembers the curse upon her.
Part IV
Stanza 1
The stanza reflects the abnormality of natural entities, the wind blows fast and violently like a storm. The old trees can't bear the brunt of nature and its yellow leaves shed it. The water stream also witnesses unusual happenings and it is about to rain heavily on Camelot. The lady comes down from the tower and found a floating boat beneath a willow. On the front portion of the boat, she scribes her name on it.
Stanza 2
While boarding the boat, she glances her dull face in the water. The poet calls her to a "some bold seer(one who can foresee the future)" as she is aware of her doomed fate, still, she goes ahead, breaks the barriers. At the end of the day, she loosens the chain of the boat and she lies down in the boat. The stream of the river flows the boat away from the tower.
Stanza 3
The lady is dressed in loose white clothes, leaves of trees falls on her. Through the night, the lady flows down to Camelot, her boat heads along the beautiful high hills and fields and sing a song. The poet says that these hills and fields "heard her singing her last song", he gives hint that the lady will eventually die.
Stanza 4
These non-living entities heard her holy and sad song. Sometimes she sings loudly and other times in low voice. She sings till her body and blood get too cold, her eyes turn dark completely. After reaching human establishment, the first house she reached along the river, she dies singing her song.
Stanza 5
She reached Camelot silently while her body among houses, she goes by a tower, balcony, garden-wall and gallery. When the boat reaches a dock, she is noticed by people surrounding the area, young man, and women, knights, nobles, middle-class people. They read her name written on the boat.
Stanza 6
The general reaction of the people is visible when an accident takes place and questions are asked by them such as who was the lady, what has happened there. They took this accident as an omen for further bad news. No one express sympathy except Sir Lancelot, he expresses his condolence and praise her beauty and pray to god for her blessings.
Some Literary devices are given below:-
- The poem is a lyrical ballad.
- The story (Allusion) refers to Arthurian Legends.
- Use of Refrain i.e “The Lady of Shalott” repeats after every stanza.
- In the lines “Long fields of barley and of rye, /That clothe the wold”, here fields are personified.