Comments | kellyrfineman: The Lady of Shalott by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

kellyrfineman

The Lady of Shalott by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Jul 17, 2009 09:41

Today's poem is a lovely one by Tennyson, who was retelling a medieval story about the Lady Elaine of Astolat, who dies of unrequited love for Lancelot. The poem is a significant variation from the original source material, in which Elaine meets and falls in love with Lancelot, who deigns to wear her token (and her brother's armor) in a jousting ( Read more... )

analysis of poems, poetry friday, gratton, mckennitt, ballads, assonance, poetry, tennyson

Comments 16

Smiles wyckedgood July 17 2009, 16:27:54 UTC

I first came accross this poem and began to love it while reading Anne of Green Gables and I always have the image of Anne sinking in her own boat when I read it, in my mind.

My favorite stanza:
But in her web she still delights
To weave the mirror's magic sights,
For often through the silent nights
A funeral, with plumes and lights
And music, went to Camelot:
Or when the moon was overhead,
Came two young lovers lately wed;
"I am half sick of shadows," said
The Lady of Shalott.

Shalott always sounded awfull close to Harlot to me. By the by.

The obvious theme to me here is the dangers of isolation.

Re: Smiles kellyrfineman July 17 2009, 19:39:42 UTC

*massive icon love*

I love the second half of that stanza, and the "I am half sick of shadows" quote. Also, I like the first stanza in Part II.

Re: Smiles wyckedgood July 17 2009, 19:49:17 UTC

Tee hee..that was an awesome TV moment...several friends and I gtg for True Blood, Sunday nights. We all looked at eachother and went...did he just say Slattern!

kellyrfineman July 20 2009, 04:04:51 UTC

"Slattern" is underused in today's vocabulary. As are "trollop" and "doxy".

Thread 5

(The comment has been removed)

kellyrfineman July 17 2009, 19:40:08 UTC

Sorry for any aches or pains!

ext_132267 July 17 2009, 18:48:45 UTC

Love the poem, Waterhouse, and McKennit! Perfect storm.
- AZ

kellyrfineman July 17 2009, 19:40:38 UTC

"Perfect storm" is a great comment to receive - thanks!

redheadedali July 17 2009, 19:01:53 UTC

I love the Loreena McKennitt version. I always used it when I taught this poem, back in my past life as an English teacher.

kellyrfineman July 17 2009, 19:41:29 UTC

I love this poem, even though - or especially because? - it's kind of tragic.

elizabethcbunce July 17 2009, 21:41:08 UTC

One of my favorites, and of course I'm a huge Waterhouse fan (sorry, you're just wrong. Not often, mind you, but about this. :b). This poem seems to have particular resonance for needlewomen (see artist Teresa Wentzler's rendering here: http://www.twdesignworks.com/Designs/los_l.jpeg). Also, Patricia McKillip's TOWER AT STONY WOOD is a retelling (sort of).

kellyrfineman July 18 2009, 01:47:52 UTC

Ooh - that needlework is GORGEOUS! Thanks for the link.

I know lots of folks who love Waterhouse - it's not truly his work that I don't like. I don't care for the model he used for "half-sick of shadows" (and quite a lot of his other work - she seems like she's a bit too beefy for me, and she has a masculine jaw that doesn't appeal to me - I know, picky picky picky; but that's my real issue - I don't find his main model attractive). I do like this Lady image of his a little better.