The Lady Of Shalott Essay

“The silent imbowers The Lady of Shalott” (Tennyson 17-18), as all there is to accompany her is herself. “She knows not what the curse may be” (Tennyson 42) is she is look into reality from which she is forbidden. She is entrapped inside a castle with “a mirror clear that hangs before her all the year, Shadows of the world appear” (Tennyson 46-48), weaving on a “magic web with colours gay” (Tennyson 38) of what is depicted. This mirror which lies in front of the “Lady of Shalott” is a reference of Plato’s allegory of the cave, where the shadow represents a false image of what the composer is. Real knowledge requires philosophical reasoning as where knowledge that is gained through sense is no more than opinion according to Plato. The mirror

What the “Lady of Shalott” views is a delusion of what she believes to be Camelot. “The Lady of Shalott” is “half sick of shadows” (Tennyson 71-72) and viewing the idealistic world of Camelot then encounters Sir Lancelot, captivated by his looks, becomes temptation of the Lady of Shalott to view out the window, triggering the curse. This well exemplifies the Plato’s allegory of the cave through the uncertainty of what is perceived by the Lady of Shalott, needing evidence to prove true. As she experiences what lies outside of the castle of Shalott, idealism begins to cease as “the mirror crack’d from side to side” (Tennyson 115) and realism begins as “the curse is come upon” (Tennyson 116) her. The weather, “In the stormy east-wind straining, the pale yellow woods were waning... Over tower’d Camelot” (Tennyson 118-122) displays the tragic turn of what is to come for the Lady of Shalott. As she ventures outside her castle, she finds a boat by the side of the river in which she writes her name on the boats, signifying her signatures as she becomes her own piece of

reality emphasizes the prominent vision of attics and cellars through the art piece “The Lady of Shalott” of Tennyson. The attic portrays the idealistic atmosphere of memories, dreams and experiences whereas the cellar depicts the realistic atmosphere of daily necessities that are to be stored. Referring to “The Lady of Shalott”, the idealism and reality exist corresponding to where typical attics and cellars do. Attics are typically a space directly located under a roof of a house or building, while cellars may be located directly under the house/building or outside. Lady of Shalott is in the idealistic world within her castle as she is presented with a magic mirror weaving of what deems to be Camelot. Rather, seeing Sir Lancelot, entices her to look outside where she is to witness reality, what is truly Camelot. Within this castle she is composing art of the idealistic world that displays in the magic mirror, symbolizing the attic, till she is to come outside lying in the boat as an art piece of her own, symbolizing the cellar of reality. Furthermore, Sir Lancelot comprises much beauty through generic necessities. “The helmet and the helmet-feather, burn’d like one burning flame together” (Tennyson 93-94) exemplifies a helmet, a necessity of a knight’s safety ornamented with a feather to create beauty. On Sir Lancelot’s shield lays a picture of a knight kneeling to a lady. This typical picture is what most ladies will possess, comfort