The Lady of Shalott by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

1. The Lady of Shalott by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

2. The Lady of Shalottby Alfred, Lord Tennyson Part I On either side the river lie Long fields of barley and of rye… Part II There she weaves by night and day A magic web with colours gay… Part III A bow-shot from her bower-eaves, He rode between the barley-sheaves… Part IV In the stormy east-wind straining, The pale-yellow woods were waning,… glossary

3. Part I. On either side the river lie Long fields of barley and of rye, That clothe the wold and meet the sky; And thro' the field the road runs by To many-tower'd Camelot; And up and down the people go, Gazing where the lilies blow Round an island there below, The island of Shalott.

4. Willows whiten, aspens quiver, Little breezes dusk and shiver Thro' the wave that runs for ever By the island in the river Flowing down to Camelot. Four gray walls, and four gray towers, Overlook a space of flowers, And the silent isle imbowers The Lady of Shalott.

5. By the margin, willow-veil'd Slide the heavy barges trail'd By slow horses; and unhail'd The shallopflitteth silken-sail'd Skimming down to Camelot: But who hath seen her wave her hand? Or at the casement seen her stand? Or is she known in all the land, The Lady of Shalott?

6. Only reapers, reaping early In among the bearded barley, Hear a song that echoes cheerly From the river winding clearly, Down to tower'd Camelot: And by the moon the reaper weary, Piling sheaves in uplands airy, Listening, whispers “Tis the fairy Lady of Shalott."

7. Part II. There she weaves by night and day A magic web with colours gay. She has heard a whisper say, A curse is on her if she stay To look down to Camelot. She knows not what the curse may be, And so she weaveth steadily, And little other care hath she, The Lady of Shalott.

8. And moving thro' a mirror clear That hangs before her all the year, Shadows of the world appear. There she sees the highway near Winding down to Camelot: There the river eddy whirls, And there the surly village-churls, And the red cloaks of market girls, Pass onward from Shalott.

9. Sometimes a troop of damsels glad, An abbot on an ambling pad, Sometimes a curly shepherd-lad, Or long-hair'd page in crimson clad, Goes by to tower'd Camelot; And sometimes thro' the mirror blue The knights come riding two and two: She hath no loyal knight and true, The Lady of Shalott.

10. But in her web she still delights To weave the mirror's magic sights, For often thro' 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.

11. Part III. A bow-shot from her bower-eaves, He rode between the barley-sheaves, The sun came dazzling thro' the leaves, And flamed upon the brazengreaves Of bold Sir Lancelot. A red cross knight for ever kneel'd To a lady in his shield, That sparkled on the yellow field, Beside remote Shalott.

12. The gemmybridle glitter'd free, Like to some branch of stars we see Hung in the golden Galaxy. The bridle-bells rang merrily As he rode down to Camelot: And from his blazon'dbaldric slung A mighty silver bugle hung, And as he rode his armour rung, Beside remote Shalott.

13. All in the blue unclouded weather Thick-jewell'd shone the saddle-leather, The helmet and the helmet-feather Burn'd like one burning flame together, As he rode down to Camelot. As often thro' the purple night, Below the starry clusters bright, Some bearded meteor, trailing light, Moves over still Shalott.

14. His broad clear brow in sunlight glow'd; On burnish'd hooves his war-horse trode; From underneath his helmet flow'd His coal-black curls as on he rode, As he rode down to Camelot. From the bank and from the river He flash'd into the crystal mirror, "Tirra lirra," by the riverSang Sir Lancelot.

15. She left the web, she left the loom, She made three paces thro' the room, She saw the water-lily bloom, She saw the helmet and the plume, She look'd down to Camelot. Out flew the web and floated wide; The mirror crack'd from side to side; "The curse is come upon me," cried The Lady of Shalott.

16. Part IV. In the stormy east-wind straining, The pale-yellow woods were waning, The broad stream in his banks complaining, Heavily the low sky raining Over tower'd Camelot; Down she came and found a boat Beneath a willow left afloat, And round about the prow she wrote The Lady of Shalott.

17. And down the river's dim expanse – Like some bold seër in a trance, Seeing all his own mischance – With a glassy countenance Did she look to Camelot. And at the closing of the day She loosed the chain, and down she lay; The broad stream bore her far away, The Lady of Shalott.

18. Lying, robed in snowy white That loosely flew to left and right – The leaves upon her falling light- Thro' the noises of the night She floated down to Camelot: And as the boat-head wound along The willowy hills and fields among, They heard her singing her last song, The Lady of Shalott.

19. Heard a carol, mournful, holy, Chanted loudly, chanted lowly, Till her blood was frozen slowly, And her eyes were darken'd wholly, Turn'd to tower'd Camelot; For ere she reach'd upon the tide The first house by the water-side, Singing in her song she died, The Lady of Shalott.

20. Under tower and balcony, By garden-wall and gallery, A gleaming shape she floated by, A corse between the houses high, Silent into Camelot. Out upon the wharfs they came, Knight and burgher, lord and dame, And round the prow they read her name, The Lady of Shalott.

21. Who is this? and what is here? And in the lighted palace near Died the sound of royal cheer; And they cross'd themselves for fear, All the knights at Camelot: But Lancelot mused a little space; He said, "She has a lovely face; God in his mercy lend her grace, The Lady of Shalott."

22. End

23. Facts about Alfred Lord TennysonGiven name: Alfred Lord Family name: TennysonBirth date: 6 August 1809 Death date: 6 October 1892Nationality: EnglishFamily relations          father: George Clayton Tennyson          mother: Elizabeth Tennyson          wife: Emily Tennyson (from 13 June 1850)          brother: Frederick Tennyson          brother: Charles Tennyson-Turner          sister: Emily Tennyson          sister: Mary Tennyson          son: Hallam Tennyson          son: Lionel TennysonLanguage: EnglishEducation          Grammar school at Louth: 1816 to 1820          Trinity College, Cambridge: February 1828 to February 1831Honours          Chancellor's medal for English verse: June 1829          Poet-laureate: April 1850          Honorary fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge: 1869

24. Literary period: RomanticLived at:          Chapel House, Montpelier Row, Twickenham          Somersby, North Lincolnshire: 6 August 1809 to 1816          Louth: 1816 to 1820          Somersby: 1820          High Beech, Epping Forest: 1837 to 1840          Tunbridge Wells: 1840 to 1841          Boxley, near Maidstone: 1841          Aldworth, near Haslemere: 1868Illnesses          Hypochondria          Rheumatic gout: 1888          Influenza: 1890 to 1891Cause of death: Fatal syncopeBuried at: Westminster Abbey

25. Glossaryabbothead of an abbey or monasteryaspensa poplar treebaldrica belt from shoulder to hipblazon’d decorated, colourfulbowerpoetic word for bedroombrazen made from brassbridlehorse’s head strapburghercitizen of a townburnish’d polishedcasementwindowchurls old word for peasant or bad-manneredcountenance facial expressioncorsecorpse, dead bodydamselsmaidens, young womeneaves lower overhanging part of roofeddysmall whirlpool in water flitteth moves about rapidlygemmyset with gems or jewelsgreaves armour for lower legimbowers plume featherprowthe front of a boatreaperssomeone who cuts cornseerprophet, someone who sees visionsshalloplight open boatsheavesbundle of newly gathered cornwaning decreasing in strengthwharfsberth where a boat or ship can tie upwillows graceful trees that grow bending down near waterwoldexpanse of countryside

26. woldexpanse of countryside Return to page

27. willows graceful trees that grow bending down near water aspensa poplar tree imbowers encloses with branches Return to page

28. shalloplight open boat flitteth moves about rapidly casementwindow Return to page

29. reaperspeople who cut corn sheavesbundles of newly gathered corn Return to page

30. eddysmall whirlpool in water churls old word for peasant or bad-manneredperson Return to page

31. damselsmaidens, young women abbothead of an abbey or monastery ambling pad walking slowly Return to page

32. plumes feathers Return to page

33. bowerpoetic word for bedroom eaves lower overhanging part of roof brazen made from brass greaves armour for lower leg Return to page

34. gemmyset with gems or jewels bridlehorse’s head strap blazon’d decorated, colourful baldrica belt from shoulder to hip Return to page

35. burnish’d polished Return to page

36. plume feather Return to page

37. waning decreasing in strength prowthe front of a boat Return to page

38. seerprophet, someone who sees visions countenance facial expression Return to page

39. corsecorpse, dead body burghercitizen of a town Return to page

40. corsecorpse, dead body burghercitizen of a town Return to page