She has heard a whisper say, / A curse is on her if she stay.” In this part of the poem, Tennyson utilizes visual imagery in the description of the colorful web and auditory imagery with the whispering of curses. Tennyson writes, ”There she weaves by night and day / A magic web with colours gay. And thou art worthy full of power As gentle liberal-minded, great, Consistent wearing. Just down the river from her is King Arthur's court at Camelot, but the Lady of Shalott is not allowed even to look in that direction, much less travel there: a mysterious curse forbids it. In this poem, a mysterious woman lives alone on the island of Shalott. ImageryĪnytime an author creates words that appeal to the senses - things the reader sees, tastes, touches, hears or smells - the writer is using imagery. For thee she grew, for thee she grows For ever, and as fair as good. Tennyson's famous 'The Lady of Shalott' (1842) is a haunting tale of magic and art. He uses another example of personification when he writes, 'The broad stream in his banks complaining.' Only people complain Tennyson is using this poetic device to explain how loud the broad stream was.

Written in 1832, the poem’s setting and wordplay reflects the attitudes towards women both in Tennyson’s time, as well as during the medieval setting of the poem.

Tennyson writes, 'Willows whiten, aspens quiver, / Little breezes dusk and shiver.' Aspen trees don't quiver, and breezes certainly can't shiver. Relating to this is Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem The Lady of Shalott, a prime example of allegorical storytelling. Personification is giving human qualities or characteristics to objects. And moving through 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. Authors use personification to link objects to human actions and emotions. And moving through a mirror clear That hangs before her all the year, Shadows of the world appear.

The lady of shalott poem