English poet Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote the folk melody (ballad) "The Lady of Shalott" in the 19th century. The artist lived from 1809 until his death in 1892. It tells the Arthurian story using materials from the Middle Ages. The song was written by Alfred in two different versions: one in 1833 that had twenty stanzas and another in 1842 that had nineteen stanzas. He added two additional topics and based the poem on the Elaine Astolat Arthurian tale from the 13th-century Italian novella Donna di Scalotta; the Lady’s seclusion in the tower and her resolve to take part in the living world.
Structure of the poem, poetic devices and language used (diction)
The structure of the poem is a simple and clear one; there are four stanzas in part one and two, five stanzas in part three and part four has six stanzas. All the stanzas maintain the same basic structure; they have nine lines each with a constant rhyme scheme of aaaabcccb whose emphasis gives the poem the aspect of an ancient tale. Alfred uses various poetic devices in the poem such as imagery, symbolism, simile and metaphor. Simile use in the poem came when he described details of Lancelot’s armour and horse; “The gemmy bridle glitter'd free/Like to some branch of stars we see /Hung in the golden Galaxy.” The poet used metaphor in the poem when he compared Lancelot to a meteor. He suggests that the knight travels along a fixed course with no room for variation, just like a meteor. Lancelot cannot stop for the Lady of Shalott, despite his flash and brilliance. Symbolism use comes evident with the use of the mirror in part two to show the “shadows of the world”. The lady is bound to weave by a curse, and the mirror acts as her only view of the outside world and shows her the reality of the outside world illusionary. When she finally leaves weaving for Lancelot, the mirror cracked side to side to simplify the curse had broken her fragile connection to the outside world. Lastly, the poet uses imagery to create visual images in the reader’s mind; “Burn'd like one burning flame together/As he rode down to Camelot/As often thro' the purple night/Below the starry clusters bright”. The language used in the poem is figurative with examples being pathetic fallacies (when Tennyson likens the emotions to the bridle bells and the stream) and understatement (when the lady says she is half sick of the shadows).
Summary of the poem and understanding of what it means
The Lady of Shalott brings together the saddest love story and the most magical tale set up in King Arthur's Camelot. It pictures a lady confined on an island and is isolated from the rest of the world. She only looks at the world using a mirror and must weave pictures of what she sees; friends, lovers and soldiers. Her attempt to turn and have a glimpse of a handsome man, Sir Lancelot, that she saw riding by breaks the curse that bound her on the island. She dies, and her lifeless body floats downstream along the same river that is the centre of this poem. In my understanding, the poem seeks to highlight the aspect of loneliness, seclusion and a desire for new life. It is not a cheery poem, and it leaves the reader with a gloomy face as the lady of shallot, as she is known, dies for breaking a curse. This can also be interpreted to pinpoint the power of curses or taboos and the repercussions of going against them.
Identify two or more specific parts of the poem that you think are very important and explain why
In part four when she decides to defy her curse and go for the man she loved and ended up dying. This part is vital as it depicts the extent one can go in search of love, one should not fear cultural or social barriers in pursuit of love. The lady of Shalott took the ultimate price for love; her life.
In the last stanza of part two, where she is delighted to continue weaving despite her curse. This is very important as it teaches us to rejoice even in our tribulations. Life should be easy to live, and we should live with a hope that one day, we will emerge triumphant over misfortunes if any.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “The Lady of Shalott” is indeed a very useful script whose development transcends through many themes that were not only relatable in the medieval times but also apply in the contemporary world. The theme of love is one, for instance, that we cannot wish away. The current society is also full of cultural and social barriers that hinder love which Tennyson only referred to as a curse, and like the lady of Shalott, we should have the courage to break these obstacles. The poet employs many poetic and devices that are important in nurturing a poetry student’s skills and appreciate the general beauty of poetry.
Work cited
Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson Baron. Poems of Tennyson. Henry Frowde, Oxford University Press, 1911.
