Lady Of Shallot Essay, Research Paper
Tennyson s 1832 poem, The Lady of Shalott , found itself born again in its revised state
after Tennyson s ten year silent period. In both versions, the Lady of Shalott is a body of
creativity. Her weaving is an artform. Enveloped in the tapestry are images and pictures
of the reflections she sees passing in her magic mirror. The Lady of Shalott is an artist of
both the loom and of images. Tennyson uses this status and her fate to embody the
characteristics of an artist. For example, she is withdrawn in a tower from which she can
see below the workings of a society – Camelot. An artist must, therefore, be secluded and
detached so as to accurately convey the meaning behind his/her subjects and make a
statement on society. However, this portrayal of the detached and elusive artist is even
more clearly defined in specific revisions of the poem between 1832 and 1842. The
deletion of specific descriptive details and the changing of the final stanza proves that
the1842 revised version of Tennyson s The Lady of Shalott is more effective in
conveying the notability of an artist who detaches and abstracts from his/her subject so as
to make an accurate statement on society.
Specific details are described in the 1832 version of The Lady of Shalott which
are excluded from the revised 1842 version. Specifically, images of adornment that add
to the description of the Lady in the earlier version are removed from the later version of
the poem. For example, the 1832 version specifically mentions pearls decorating the Lady
of Shalott. She is described as having a cloudwhite crown of pearl and a pearlgarland
wind[ing[ her head (l. 127 & 33). In addition, in this earlier version, the portrait of the
Lady of Shalott is not the only concept described with more detail and adornment. The
images that create her setting are also described in more decorative detail: She leaneth
on a velvet bed,/ Fully royally apparelled (1832, l. 34-35). It is these details that create a
clear image describing the Lady of Shalott. The revised version is much more discrete
and ambiguous when describing the picture of the Lady. For example, although the Lady
of Shalott is still envisioned in white, the words used to describe her association with this
color in the revised version are in no way as defined and luxurious as a description of
pearls would be. Instead, the Lady is more abstractly described as robed in snowy
white (1842, l. 136).
Why would Tennyson choose to eliminate these detailed images of pearls and
velvet from the later version when, at first, he took the time to incorporate them into the
description of the Lady of Shalott? The absence of a literary technique can actually be
just as strong a concept in the development of a character as would its presence. One
must remember that Tennyson wanted to convey the idea that artists must be detached
from their subject so as to make an effective and accurate statement on society. This is
what his female tragic heroine symbolizes. It is not merely enough to literally have the
Lady of Shalott, the artist, hidden away from view in a tower on an isolated island. More
effectively, she is also hidden away in the ambiguity of the lines. This second version
provides no concrete image of the artist. By obscuring the details about the Lady in the
revised version, she is not only detached from Camelot but also, since we can not
construct a specific image of her, is mystified and detached from the reader.
The last stanza of Tennyson s poem is one of the most dramatic and significant
changes between the 1832 and 1842 versions of this poem. Every line in this stanza has
been changed to produce a drastically different conclusion. Although both versions of the
poem are consistent in depicting the image of a shocked crowd peering at the dead body
of the Lady of Shalott, the definition of the Lady of Shalott s identity is drastically
changed. In the earlier version, the last words of the Lady of Shalott are revealed in a
letter found lying on her body:
The web was woven curiously,
The charm is broken utterly,
Draw near and fear not-this is I,
The Lady of Shalott (1832, l. 177-180).
In this version, the Lady of Shalott is awarded the last word. Her final words help
construct an identity for the mysterious fairy Lady of Shalott (l. 26-27). With these
words, the character is no longer an abstract image, felt only in song, to the people of
Camelot, but rather, she has conveyed a concrete image of her identity (the magic, the
weaving, the curse) in the four short, final lines in the 1832 version of the poem.
However, in the 1842 version, the Lady of Shalott has already been silenced in the
fourth stanza of part IV and no letter is left to convey any other dying words. Instead, Sir
Lancelot reappears on the scene. In this version, Sir Lancelot is awarded the last word:
She has a lovely face;
God in his mercy lend her grace,
The Lady of Shalott (1842, l. 169-171).
The reintroduction of Sir Lancelot into the poem and the slightness of the words he says
obscurs the identity of the Lady of Shalott in Tennyson s revised version and thus
becomes a statement on the artist s place in society.
Tennyson conveys a stronger message about the character and status of the artist
in society in his revised version of The Lady of Shalott by mystifying the details and
removing the concrete images describing the Lady. In the first version, the Lady is
adorned with pearls and velvet; therefore, this decorated version of the Lady leaves the
readers with a very specific and more concrete image of what the Lady of Shalott looks
like. However, Tennyson blurs this image of the Lady of Shalott so as to make a more
concrete statement on the detachment of the artist from society. The final words of the
poem amplify this message by leaving the Lady of Shalott s identity a mystery. In the
1842 version, she is mute, and the final words attributed to her are ones that do not even
begin to uncover the severity of her identity. She is merely a lovely face (1842, l. 169).
The artist reaches its ultimate abstraction by being refused a concrete identity.
Другие работы по теме:
Descriptive Language And The Lady Of Shallot
Essay, Research Paper In any piece of lyrical poetry, authors must masterfully use the language of the poem to covey the intended meaning. In order to ensure the meaning is not lost, it is imperative that the author incorporates various aspects of the narrative to escalate the poem past its face value. Alfred Tennyson’s poem “The Lady of Shallot” is no exception to the rule.
Critical Essay On The Eagle Essay Research
Paper Critical Essay The name of the poem I am writing about is called ?The Eagle? by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. It is in figurative language form. The poem is divided into 2 Stanza?s with 3 lines each. And there are an
Macbeth Essay Research Paper Lady MacBeth hated
Macbeth Essay, Research Paper Lady MacBeth hated Duncan when he came to the land. She hated the fact that he stood a chance of being king over her husband which ment she stood a chance of not being queen. Knowing this,
It All Started When God Made W
Essay, Research Paper It all started when God made woman second: The Woman Question The woman question was not born when Eve ate the apple; no, it all began when Eve was created second. God can t be at fault for the woman question ; after all, men wrote the bible. A man wrote a story about creation: Man is born first and is given life by the Almighty.
The Eagle Essay Research Paper
“The Eagle” Alfred Lord Tennyson uses one of the most dignified animals to convey his views on superiority to the reader in his poem “The Eagle”. The eagle is placed so far above every other creature on the earth, that he actually serves as a towered observer to the world below him. Tennyson seems to imply that although it is great to be supreme and untouchable, it is also very lonely at the top.
Crossing The Bar Essay Research Paper Alfred
Crossing The Bar Essay, Research Paper Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote “Crossing the Bar” in 1889, just years before he died. This poem describes his uncomplaining attitude toward death. Even though he wrote other poems after this, he requested that “Crossing the Bar” appear as the last poem in all collections of his work.
James Bartlett Essay Research Paper James Bartlett1240
James Bartlett Essay, Research Paper James Bartlett 1240 NW 175 terr Miami, Fl 33169 305 621 4377 Ms. Latcna My pouch was taken, at the Winn Dixie store. At that time I called First Union to tell them about it, I talked to a lady in the fraud division. She called the bank that I use and, I was told not to change the account.
Lady Of Shalott Essay Research Paper FALLFor
Lady Of Shalott Essay, Research Paper FALL For me the fall is an exhilarating time of year. A time of change, an in-between period of muddled and varied weather. For others who view fall as a short time before a dreary winter, fall takes on a less colorful face. Alfred Lord Tennyson uses fall metaphorically throughout “The Lady of Shalott” to illustrate how the Lady of Shalott’s life (or lack thereof) progresses.
Macbeth Essay Research Paper Macbeth EssayFrom the
Macbeth Essay, Research Paper Macbeth Essay From the very beginning Macbeth has been a victim of the witches? prophecy and Lady Macbeth?s ambition. With no support he soon succumbed to the pressures of each.
Ulysses By Tennyson Essay Research Paper The
Ulysses By Tennyson Essay, Research Paper The poem I chose to write about is ?Ulysses?, by Alfred Lord Tennyson. It is a poem based on Homer?s Odyssey, which is the story of Odysseus (Ulysses) and
Dulce Et Decorum Est By Wilfred Owen
?, And ?The Charge Of The Light Brigade? By Lord Alfred Tennyson Essay, Research Paper Since before man could begin to remember, war has been an omnipresent course of action as conflict has been, and still is, wide spread throughout the world. War is seen by some as a grim evil, while others perceive it to be a brave and glorious feat.
My Fair Lady Essay Research Paper My
My Fair Lady Essay, Research Paper My Fair Lady is a musical comedy written by Bernard Shaw, which is set in England. The story is about Elisa, who spoke very bad English, with a cockney accent, but she wanted to learn how to speak better English, so she went to a phonetics? teacher, Higgins. Elisa was very poor, so she didn?t have the money to pay for the lessons.
Lady Bird Johnson Essay Research Paper LADY
Lady Bird Johnson Essay, Research Paper LADY BIRD JOHNSON Claudia Alta Taylor was born in a country mansion near Karnack, Texas, she was given the nickname “Lady Bird” when she was just a child; and by this name she is still known today. Her mother, Minnie Pattillo Taylor, died when Claudia (Lady Bird) was only five, so she was raised by her father, her aunt, and the family servants.
Death Is Life Essay Research Paper Death
Death Is Life Essay, Research Paper Death is the reward of Life Life is considered, by some, to be a journey towards death and the great reward of afterlife. This traveling process is held in many different views and is
The Lady Of Shalott Essay Research Paper
What are the main themes in Alfred Lord Tennyson’s ‘The Lady of Shalott’, and how are they presented? Alfred Lord Tennyson was born in Somersby, Lincolnshire on August
The Lady Of Shalot Essay Research Paper
In his poem, ?The Lady of Shalott,? Alfred, Lord Tennyson uses psychoanalytical representation to display the mental failings of the main character, the Lady of Shalott. Tennyson displays to the reader a young woman in her twenties who is so mentally eccentric that she becomes a recluse and shuts herself off from reality.
Lady Of Shallot Essay Research Paper The
Lady Of Shallot Essay, Research Paper The Lady of Shalott ?The greatest social difficulty in England today is the relationship between men and women? (NAEL, 1719). These words express awareness and the beginning of a change in the Victorian period. The role of the woman began its change throughout this period.
The Lady Of Shallot Essay Research Paper
In Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “The Lady of Shallot”, Tennyson describes the dispirited story of a reclusive woman, the Lady of Shallot, bound by a curse to weave a never-ending web. The curse includes the Lady of Shallot being forbidden to glance at the town of Camelot. Tennyson portrays the “magic web” that she weaves and relates them to images of seasons.
Crazy Lady Essay Research Paper this book
Crazy Lady Essay, Research Paper this book is about a lady that has a son named ronald and has a mental problem. But their is a kid named vernon tha he deos stuff to that lady when he is with his friends. Until onne day he started to feel bad for tha lady and her son and he went and apologized, the crazy lady said that she knew vernons mother as they were talking and vernon became freinds with the crazy ladys mentally ill child named Ronald.
Macbeth Essay Research Paper The Downfall of
Macbeth Essay, Research Paper The Downfall of Macbeth Macbeth’s love for Lady Macbeth, in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, caused Macbeth to feel the need to prove his manhood, which eventually lead to his downfall. Macbeth was not secure in his manhood, so he felt the need to prove himself to Lady Macbeth.
Lady Macbeth Essay Research Paper Lady MacbethThe
Lady Macbeth Essay, Research Paper Lady Macbeth The downfall of Macbeth was a great tragedy. He knew it was not right to kill the king, but he felt he had no other choice. He was trapped into doing wrong. Lady Macbeth gave him the evil ideas throughout the play. She was his driving force. Without her, Macbeth wouldn’t have done what he did.
Macbeth Witches Essay Research Paper Macbeth who
Macbeth Witches Essay, Research Paper Macbeth, who is hailed by the three witches as the ancestor of kings. Macbeth is an intelligent spiritual likeness of a villain-hero who feels his own guilt
Macbeth Essay Research Paper The Destruction of
Macbeth Essay, Research Paper The Destruction of Macbeth Three factors that are at work to destroy Macbeth are the flaws in his own character, the forces of evil of the Devil represented by the Tree Weird Sisters, and Lady
Dorian Gray And The Lady Of Shallot
: Stepping Out Of The Shadows Essay, Research Paper During one?s life, one must step out into the real world and experience all of what the world has to offer. In order to attain a well-balanced life both mentally and socially, one may seek any way possible to live life to the fullest. We were put on this earth to live- not just simply by breathing in and out everyday, and making life the best it can possibly be.
Joke Essay Research Paper Pretty funny You
Joke Essay, Research Paper Pretty funny!!!! You could die laughing…… A little old lady went into the Bank of Canada one day, carrying a bag of money. She insisted that she must speak with the president of the bank to open a savings account because, “It’s a lot of money!”
Macbeth Character Analysis Of Lady Macbeth Essay
, Research Paper MacBeth In The Tragedy of MacBeth, Lady MacBeth has strong id characteristics, and is not well balanced because her superego is severely out-weighed by her id. The id, superego, and ego are the
Macbeth Essay Research Paper Macbeth Lady Macbeth
Macbeth Essay, Research Paper Macbeth Lady Macbeth had one of the most important roles in the play I believe. Lady Macbeth is far worse than Macbeth. Although they both think of murdering King Duncan as soon as they hear the witches prophecies; Macbeth thinks more about what would happen if he did kill king Duncan, on the hand Lady Macbeth right away to evil spirits to get her the strength to kill King Duncan.
Macbeath Essay Research Paper Anthony Sears12298Period 2Macbeth
Macbeath Essay, Research Paper Anthony Sears 12-2-98 Period 2 Macbeth Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are two megalomaniacs. Their actions in the first two acts are very childish and selfish. Their lust for power and control over runs their lives and becomes something to die for. Lady Macbeth is very persuasive, and Macbeth will almost follow her very word.
Lady Macbeth Essay Research Paper At the
Lady Macbeth Essay, Research Paper At the start of the play, Lady Macbeth seems to have a very strong character – almost stronger than Macbeth’s – but by the end she is reduced to being afraid of the dark. At the beginning she is Macbeth’s ‘dearest partner of greatness’, but at the end she is his ‘fiend-like queen’.