Monday, February 24, 2014

Describe each of the following lines from "The Lady of Shalott" in detail, please:On either side the river lie Long fields of barley and of rye,...

Part I.  On both sides of the river are fields, and in the
middle of these fields is a road that leads to Camelot.  Many people travel this road
and gaze on the island of Shalott, home of the Lady of Shalott.  No one has ever seen
her, but reapers hear her song in the morning and evening, declaring it to be "the fairy
of Shalott.


Part II. She weaves day and night a web of
bright colors. She has heard it said that if she looks toward Camelot, she will be
cursed.  She doesn't know what the curse is, so she continues to weave.  S he looks in a
mirror to see Camelot, avoiding looking at it directly.  She watches shadows of people
going to Camelot.  Sometimes a group of happy girls, sometimes a priest, a shepherd, and
once in a while knights will come, riding two by two.  She doesn't have a knight to
protect her. She weaves all of these scenes into her web.  Finally she admits that she
is tired of seeing all her sights through the mirror.


Part
III. One day Sir Lancelot arrives in Camelot.  He is very handsome (this goes on for
some lines) and enjoys singing on his journey.  Even though she knows it is forbidden,
she looks down on Camelot.  When she does, her web flies out the window, the mirrror
cracks, and she knows she is cursed.


Part IV.  That
evening, when it is raining, the Lady of Shalott walks to the river and finds a boat. 
She writes her name on it.  In a glassy trance, she unties the boat, lies down in it,
and allows  the river to bear her into Camelot.  Dressed all in white, she floats down
to Camelot singing her last song.  Before she reaches Camelot, she dies.  She silently
enters Camelot, and everyone comes out to stare at her corpse.  The knights all cross
themselves for fear of what this means.  Lancelot arrive, compliments her beauty, and
asks God to bless her.

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