Symbolism in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's ‘The Lady of Shalott’ | English

Starter quiz

In 'The Lady of Shalott' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire’), what does the Lady of Shalott have to constantly do in the tower that she lives in?
- sing
- look at Camelot
- weave ✓
- write
In 'The Lady of Shalott' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire'), who lives with the Lady of Shalott in her tower?
- a fairy
- Sir Lancelot
- a troop of damsels (women)
- no-one ✓
- the person who cursed her
In 'The Lady of Shalott' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire'), why does the Lady of Shalott decide to leave her tower?
- to marry Sir Lancelot in Camelot
- to find out what the curse is
- she knows she is about to die, and travels towards Camelot ✓
- to show off the "charmed web" she has created
- she wants to drown herself in the river leading to Camelot
Match each section of the poem 'The Lady of Shalott' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire') to its plot points.
- Part 1
  
  ⇔
  
  description of the island and the rumours about the Lady of Shalott ✓
- Part 2
  
  ⇔
  
  description of curse, but also that beauty of the "web" ✓
- Part 3
  
  ⇔
  
  Sir Lancelot is described, and the Lady of Shalott leaves her loom ✓
- Part 4
  
  ⇔
  
  the Lady of Shalott sails to Camelot in a boat, knowing she will die ✓
Starting with the first, order these plot points about the moment the Lady of Shalott sees Sir Lancelot ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire').
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  The Lady of Shalott hears Sir Lancelot singing.
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  The Lady of Shalott leaves her loom.
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  The Lady of Shalott looks out the window and sees Sir Lancelot and Camelot.
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  The "web" leaves her loom and is destroyed.
- 5
  
  ⇔
  
  The mirror cracks.
- 6
  
  ⇔
  
  The Lady of Shalott realises the curse is "upon" her.
In Stanza eight of 'The Lady of Shalott' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire’), we hear the first piece of dialogue from the Lady of Shalott herself. She says, "I am half ______ of shadows".
- 'sick' ✓

Exit quiz

In 'The Lady of Shalott' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire'), what does the Lady of Shalott sacrifice when she looks out of the window to see Sir Lancelot in real life?
- her looks
- her art ✓
- her symbolism
- her singing
- her curse
In 'The Lady of Shalott' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire'), what does the Lady of Shalott symbolise?
- Tennyson
- the isolated artist ✓
- Sir Lancelot
- the legend of Camelot
- weaving
Match these words, all important in understanding 'The Lady of Shalott' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire').
- tangible
  
  ⇔
  
  something that can be touched e.g. a table ✓
- intangible
  
  ⇔
  
  something that can’t be touched e.g. love ✓
- symbolism
  
  ⇔
  
  when writers use something to represent abtract ideas ✓
Match these sentence stems about 'The Lady of Shalott' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire') to their endings.
- The Lady of Shalott is isolated because
  
  ⇔
  
  she lives alone in a tower. ✓
- The Lady of Shalott is isolated but
  
  ⇔
  
  she has a happy existence weaving a "charmed web". ✓
- The Lady of Shalott is isolated so
  
  ⇔
  
  she eventually leaves her loom. ✓
In Stanza five of 'The Lady of Shalott' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire'), Tennyson writes of the Lady of Shalott: "No ______ hath she to sport and play".
- 'time' ✓
In Stanza eight of 'The Lady of Shalott' ('Myths, Legends and stories that inspire'), Tennyson writes of the Lady of Shalott: "But in her web she still delights / To weave the mirror's ______ sights".
- 'magic' ✓

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

Symbolism is when writers use something tangible to represent an intangible idea.
The Lady of Shalott symbolises the isolated artist and the sacrifices some make to create great art.
Throughout the poem, Tennyson emphasises that the Lady of Shalott is a great artist.
However, Tennyson also emphasises how much the Lady of Shalott sacrifices to create her beautiful art.
It is up to the reader to decide whether the Lady of Shalott made the right decision to leave her isolated tower.

Common misconception

If you are in solitude, you feel lonely.

Solitude can be a pleasant state, one that lots of people seek out. It is different from feeling lonely or isolated.

Keywords

Intangible - something that can't be touched e.g. love
Symbolism - when writers use something to represent intangible ideas; for example, a rose as a symbol for love
Solitude - the state of being alone with no-one around you
Sacrifice - to (often) unwillingly give something up
Isolated - to be placed far away from others; to have little contact with others