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The Lady of Shalottp. 1204
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Arthurian Background

• Based on medieval legend of Elaine, the Lily Maid
  of Astolat.
• Elaine died of love for King Arthur's greatest
  knight, Sir Lancelot.
• Illicit affair of Lancelot and Queen Guinivere
  led to civil war and destruction of Camelot.
• Elaine's death foreshadowed destruction of
  Camelot.

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Interpretation

• Arthur's ideal kingdom Camelot is analogous to
  Victorian society threatened by loss of
  traditional beliefs.
• Tennyson's Lady could represent the artist's role
  in society.
• tension between "private and public voices" in
  art
• desire to create art as a private expression of
  beauty/emotion vs. desire to express a social
  message in art

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Form/Structure

• Balladmedieval poetic form, intended to be sung
• Uses repetition of words and sounds (alliteration
  and assonance) for dramatic effect
• Repetition enhances sense of monotony,
  imprisonment, stagnation
• Parts 1 2Isolation/Imprisonment
• Parts 3 4Active Participation

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Setting

• Island of Shalottstillness, remoteness
• Ladys castle/towerisolation, imprisonment
• Riveractivity, passage of life/time
• Road to Camelotinvolvement in human life

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Symbols

• Weavinga magic web
• Symbol of art
• Imaginative reflection of real world
• Creative and destructive (can entrap the artist)
• Mirrorreflects shadows of the world
• Distancing effect of artists perception of
  reality
• Provides shadows instead of substance

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Symbols

• The Cursedo not look down to Camelot
• Contaminating effect on art of involvement in
  mundane life
• Concerns for audience and social relevance can
  ruin an artists personal imaginative expression

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Symbols

• Sir Lancelotthe blind, shallow audience
• Images of dazzling light
• Images of superficial materialism
• The Ladythe withdrawn, misunderstood artist
• Images of creativity and imagination
• Images of imprisonment and stagnation

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The Lady of Shalott Musical Adaptation

• You are listening to Celtic singer Loreena
  McKennitt's musical version of Tennyson's poem
• How do changes in rhythm, tone, and vocals from
  one section of the song to another embody the
  poem's thematic duality--the conflict between a
  desire to withdraw from the world into artistic
  isolation and a desire to participate in life and
  community?