Alfred Lord Tennyson – The Lady of Shalott

I noticed many differences between the 1833 version (e-text) and the 1842 version (book) of The Lady of Shalott, although the e-text version is only excerpts, not the entire poem. Both versions begin with a description of a river flanked by fields of grain and the road leading to Camelot, and both describe how the outside world sees the island of Shalott.

In the 1833 version, the water lilies and daffodils around the island “tremble in the water chilly” and the island is surrounded by a fence of overhanging roses which gives the feeling of an unwelcoming coldness. The 1842 version speaks of people traveling along the road, looking at the flowers and trees on the island which stands alone in the river. The Lady of Shalott lives in a gray tower that looks down on the river as the boats sail to Camelot. This version gives the impression that the island is more alive and less harsh.

Both versions speak of the Lady of Shalott’s singing that can be heard by the men harvesting barley, but in the 1833 version, I got the sense that the men could clearly hear the singing all the time (“late and early, hears her ever chanting cheerly”), whereas the 1842 version seemed more vague about her song that echoed from the river. The 1833 version describes the Lady of Shalott as having pearl garland in her hair, clothing of royalty, and a velvet bed. The 1843 version is more obscure and never describes the Lady of Shalott or her surroundings, leaving it to the reader to form a picture.

The middle section of the 1833 version is not included in the e-text, but the 1842 version is from the viewpoint of the Lady of Shalott who is concerned only with her weaving. She knows she cannot look down to Camelot or she will be cursed. She uses a mirror as she weaves to see the other side of her work, and in the mirror she can see shadows from the road, the river, and the people. She sometimes sees knights riding two by two, and although she has no knight to love, she is content being alone and weaving. The knights riding two by two could symbolize the companionship that she is missing. She sees funerals in the mirror and one night, she sees a newlywed couple and says “I am half sick of shadows” (pg. 590). This is the first indication that the Lady of Shalott might be dissatisfied with her solitary life.

Then the gallant Lancelot comes along with bells ringing from his horse’s bridle glittering like the stars, the sun reflecting off his armor that rings as he rides, his helmet bright and shining, his long black curls falling from under the helmet, and singing Tirra Lira as he flashes into the Lady’s mirror. Tennyson uses colors to invoke vivid images of “the blue unclouded weather,” Lancelot’s silver bugle, his helmet and feather like a “burning flame,” and his image like a meteor in the purple night. Lancelot is described in great detail, both his appearance and the sounds he makes.

As the Lady saw Lancelot in the mirror, she got up from the loom, walked across the room and looked out at a blooming water-lily and Lancelot’s helmet and plume. The blooming flower could represent the outside life that she is isolated from, or perhaps it symbolizes the Lady herself coming to life when she sees Lancelot. At this point, the mirror cracked in half and the Lady cried “the curse is come upon me” (pg. 591).

When she came down from the tower, the weather was stormy, and the “pale-yellow woods were waning, the broad stream in his banks complaining.” This is in conflict with the weather that was sunny, blue, and unclouded when she saw Lancelot. She finds a boat and writes her name across the bow. In the 1833 version, she is adorned with a crown of pearls, her snowy white dress with a diamond clasp blows in the wind as she stands by the water with folded arms. Here again, the earlier version provides a more detailed description of the Lady. Her white gown represents her purity and love. She gets into the boat and heads down the river in a melancholy daze, fully aware of her fate.

In the 1833 version, the description of the boat ride evokes action and sound describing the boat as “rising and dropping with the foam, from dying swans wild warblings come.” The 1842 version suggests a calmer, more tranquil trip with the boat floating “thro’ the noises of the night.” In both versions, the Lady of Shalott mournfully sings her last song as she travels down the river dying. As she sings in the later version, the leaves fall on her symbolizing her death. Her eyes darken, her blood freezes, and her pale, dead body floats into Camelot. Did she die a peaceful, happy death now that she had found love? Or did she die sadly, knowing Lancelot would never be aware of her love?

As she comes into Camelot, the people come out on the wharf, read her name on the boat, and cross themselves. In the original ending, the Lady of Shalott has the last word from a note on her chest – “Draw near and fear not – this is I, the Lady of Shalott.” In the 1842 version, Lancelot has the last word as he comments that she is lovely and prays for God to give her grace.

In the end, the Lady of Shalott was able to join her love, Lancelot, in the outside world, but now separated by death, she is still alone. The funeral and the wedding the Lady saw in her mirror contrast death and love, and by falling in love with Lancelot, she brought about her own death. Other contrasting images in the poem include the shining, bright colors that turn to pale, and the sunny sky that turns to rain. In the tower, the Lady of Shalott was an artist isolated from the outside world, much like Tennyson who was an artist and was introverted and withdrawn. Perhaps Tennyson was also afraid of leaving the comfort of his inner solitude to join the outside world.

In analyzing the poem, I noticed that it jumped around from present tense to past tense. I found the 1842 version to be much more mysterious and it left more to the reader to interpret and visualize.