Summary
“The Lady of Shalott”, by Alfred Tennyson, is a lyrical ballad about the Arthurian legend, Elaine of Ascolat. Tennyson, inspired by an Italian ballad, wrote two versions of the poem; one was published in 1832, but the more popular version was written and published in his 1842 collection of poems.
Part I
In the opening stanza of "The Lady of Shalott," the reader is introduced to the idyllic setting of the island of Shalott, which lies near Camelot, the legendary castle of King Arthur. The poem establishes a mysterious atmosphere as it describes the river flowing to Camelot. It speaks of a lady bound in a castle, surrounded by “Four gray walls, and four gray towers”. She is afflicted by a strange curse to weave a ceaseless tapestry, glimpsing the outside world only through reflections in a magical mirror. Boats and barges sail down the river, reapers work and horses carry burdens in the nearby fields. But no one has ever caught a glimpse of the Lady. Only the reapers sometimes whisper that they can hear “Tis the fairy, Lady of Shalott.”
Part II
The ballad then delves deeper into the nature of the Lady's curse. She spends her days weaving “A magic web with colours gay”, never looking directly outside, for the curse forbids her from gazing at Camelot. Instead, she views the world outside through a mirror, which reflects the busy road and the subjects of her weaving. The poem describes the shadows of the world that appear in her mirror, including a procession of market girls, an abbot, young lovers, royal page boys, and knights. The Lady of Shalott lives a life of passive observation—she who can have no knight of her own—her existence tied to the loom, as she creates representations of a life she cannot directly partake in. This section ends with the Lady uttering a lament about the joys of life she is missing, when she chances upon reflections of a wedded couple and a funeral procession.
Part III
The Lady's world is soon disrupted when Sir Lancelot rides by her tower, and she is captivated by his reflection in her mirror. His appearance is described in vivid detail, from his armor to the sound of his singing, which is likened to a "horn of plenty." His broad, handsome face glowing in the sunlight and his dark curls reflecting in the mirror, tempt the Lady of Shalott to finally look up from her tapestry. Overwhelmed by the desire to experience life directly, the Lady makes the fateful decision to look out of her window toward Camelot, effectively breaking the curse. As she does so, the mirror cracks, and the Lady is enlightened to the fact that the curse has come upon her.
Part IV
The skies open up and a thunderstorm descends upon the scene. Accepting her fate, the Lady leaves her tower and finds a boat upon which she writes her name. She then lays down in the boat, robed in snowy white and sings her last song. As life leaves her body, she continues to sing and drifts down the river towards Camelot, succumbing to the curse. People hear her singing and come to the banks of the river, where the boat draws up, bearing its grim load. When her boat reaches Camelot, all, including Sir Lancelot, marvel at her beauty in death. Lancelot then offers a prayer for her soul, asking God to be graceful to this cursed and beautiful soul.
