Lord Alfred Tennyson’s "The Lady of Shalott": Symbolism and Pictorial Quality

The Symbolic Tapestry: Pictorial Splendor in Tennyson's 'The Lady of Shalott'

Introduction

Lord Alfred Tennyson's poem "The Lady of Shalott" is rich in symbolism and vivid pictorial quality. Through its use of various symbols and imagery, the poem creates a captivating atmosphere and explores themes of isolation, artistry, and the conflict between reality and imagination.

The Curse Unveiled: Symbolism and Narrative Journey in Lord Alfred Tennyson's 'The Lady of Shalott'

Lord Alfred Tennyson

Lord Alfred Tennyson’s "The Lady of Shalott" is a symbolic tale of a lady condemned by a mysterious curse to weave ceaselessly a magic tapestry. The poem itself has something of the tapestry , notably in the description of the passersby, but it is far from being a piece of sentimental medievalising. Part I shows us the island castle of Shalott inhabited by the mysterious lady , and the road to Camelot , image of the external world of action . In part ii we move to the lady herself weaving compulsively under the strange curse, seeing external reality only through the mirror she uses for her weaving, and seeing it as pageant in which she has no part. In the third section, which takes place in harvest times, the magnificent Sir Lancelot, lover of Queen Guinevere, appears, riding to Camelot, and singing as he goes. The Lady leaves her tapestry and looks down to Camelot, and the curse is fulfilled. In part (iv), the dying lady floats down the river to Camelot singing her last song.

The stanzas continually contrast the active and external Camelot with the contemplative and with drawn shallot, except in part (iii), where Lancelot replaces Camelot in stanza (ix), and Shallot in (xii). The four parts alternate between the external world and the world of the lady. There is also a division between the contemplative present tenses of part-1 and part II and the active past tenses of parts II and IV, prefigured by the first preterits in the poem in the last stanza of II : ' want ' , ' came ' , ' said '.

Inspired by Keats: A Tapestry of Nature and Contrast in Tennyson's 'The Lady of Shalott'

This poem shows clearly the influence of Keats in its colour , its nature pictures , its use of contrast and its hyphen - words . Like Keats, Tennyson had a keen appreciation of natural beauty and he used his eyes, and the result is the unerring description which comes from the poet's command of language joined with first hand observation. In part 1 we notice the exact description at the beginning of stanza and such a choice of adjectives as ' bearded barley ‘. The pictures are given at length, elaborated with detail, colour and richness.

The poem combines two different aspects of Keats, the weird, magical suggestion of "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" and the definiteness and colour of a poem like "The Eve of st . Agnes." The lady is fairy lady; the land is a romantic, visionary land: the exact nature of the spell undefined. The curse seems more to be dreaded because it is mysterious curse which can not be met. The haunting refrain adds to the magic. Yet the landscape is given in some detail, and the colouring of part - (iii) is rich and glittering.

The contrast between the colour of part (iii) and what immediately precedes and follows: the warmness of the last stanza of part (ii) and the brilliant, rich colouring of part - (iii), and the dazzling sunlight of part (iii) and the heavy stay and rain of the first stanza of part (IV) are striking. The weather harmonizes with each scene, helping to give the appropriate atmosphere of sympathetic background.

The Veiled Weaver: Symbolic Isolation and Artistic Imagination in Tennyson's 'The Lady of Shalott'

One of the key symbols in the poem is the Lady herself. She represents the isolated artist who lives a secluded life, cut off from the outside world. Confined to her tower, the Lady weaves a magical web, mirroring the act of creating art. She is described as being under a curse, forbidden from looking directly at the world outside, and can only view the outside through a mirror. This symbolizes the artist's detachment from reality and their reliance on their own imagination and artistic interpretations.

The Mirror's Reflection: The Lady of Shalott as Artist and Outsider

The Lady of Shallot is not an allegory though as in Marina the images sometimes have the power of symbols says John Barry Steane. The mirror, for instance, suggests much beyond its role as an item in a fairy story. The mirror plays a crucial role in the poem as well. For as the Lady weaves the mirror's magic sights in her tapestry she is herself partly taking the role of the artist , and her existence in the island castle has something in common with the artist's apartness. Moreover, as she sees reality only through her mirror so the artist may tend to experience vicariously drawing his knowledge not from direct contact but from other words of art. He has his own special nature, like the lady; partly an affection to him this sense of difference, partly a blessing and possibly the very condition of his being an artist at all. For life in the ordinary day to day life he may be all unfit, as was the Lady, and, for him as for her, only disaster may follow the attempt to break the bounds. This is not ' the message ' of "The Lady of Shallot" but it is , definitely , a part of the ground out of which the poem grew.

It serves as a distorted reflection of reality, emphasizing the Lady's indirect perception of the world. The mirror also symbolizes the limitations of art and the barrier between the artist and the real world. When the Lady defies the curse and looks directly out of her window, the mirror cracks, representing the shattering of her illusion and the intrusion of reality into her isolated existence.

The Enchanting River: Symbolic Journey and Longing in Tennyson's 'The Lady of Shalott'

The river flowing towards Camelot is another significant symbol in the poem. It represents the journey of life and the passage of time. The Lady of Shalott is unable to partake in this journey directly, as she is confined to her tower. Instead, she weaves images of the outside world based on what she sees in the mirror. The river also symbolizes the allure of the outside world and the Lady's longing for a more fulfilling existence beyond her isolation.

Conclusion

Lord Alfred Tennyson's "The Lady of Shalott" is a poem filled with symbolism and pictorial quality. Tennyson's use of vivid imagery enhances the poem's pictorial quality. He paints detailed and evocative scenes, describing the natural landscapes and the bustling city of Camelot. The colors, sounds, and movements are vividly portrayed, capturing the reader's imagination and creating a sense of the Lady's confinement juxtaposed with the vibrant world she can only observe indirectly. Through its use of symbols such as the Lady, the mirror, and the river, the poem explores themes of isolation, artistry, and the conflict between reality and imagination. Tennyson's vivid imagery adds depth to the poem, creating a captivating atmosphere that engages the reader's senses and emotions.

Ardhendu De

Ref:

Full text of “The Letters Of William Blake.” (n.d.). Full Text of “the Letters of William Blake.” https://archive.org/stream/lettersofwilliam002199mbp/lettersofwilliam002199mbp_djvu.txt

A History Of English Prosody Vol. 3 : George Saintsbury : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.93977

A History Of English Prosody Vol. 2 : George Saintsbury : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.95238

A History Of English Prosody Vol. 1 : Saintsbury George : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.93134

The Lady of Shalott : Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron, 1809-1892 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/ladyofshalott00tenn

The complete works of Alfred, lord Tennyson .. : Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron, 1809-1892 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/completeworksofa00tenn

Ebbatson. (2002). Tennyson. Penguin.

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