Discussing Mariana and The Lady of Shallot Essay Example

Camelot, her passion for him grows and her confinement distresses her. Eventually, she decides to leave and takes a boat down the river to Camelot but dies upon seeing Sir Lancelot instantly. The lady of Shallot yearns for connection with the outside world, feels desire for Lancelot, and experiences loneliness from her solitary life. These emotions drive her to choose suicide over continuing to live.

Tennyson's vivid and intricate description of the Grange surrounding Mariana includes a variety of negative adjectives that paint a clear picture of its dilapidated state. The use of phrases such as "blackest moss," "rusted nails," and "broken sheds" in just the first five lines suggests that the grange is in a state of disrepair.

The neglected state of the grange is suggested by Tennyson's choice of words, with "rusted" and "broken" emphasizing the extent of decay.

In his portrayal of Mariana's emotions, the author effectively utilizes the Grange and its surroundings as a psychological landscape. He employs personification to depict the atmosphere, saying, "The broken sheds looked sad and strange," suggesting that even the physical elements around Mariana seem melancholic. The absence of natural beauty further compounds her sense of sadness, as evidenced by the statement, "She could not look on the sweet heaven." This lack exacerbates her depression.

Initially, it may not seem so, but "The Lady of Shallot" also presents pathetic fallacy as she yearns for social interaction and desires to converse with the people in Camelot. The poem reflects this desire through the portrayal of everyone else in Camelot engaging in social activities, while she feels excluded. As depicted in the lines, "a troop of damsels glad, Goes by to

tower'd Camelot," every one passes by the tower without giving it a second thought.

The animals mentioned in the poem provide a clearer description of the isolation of the grange. The presence of night fowl and bats, typically found in non-residential areas or abandoned structures, indicates that the grange is deserted and secluded. The only sound mentioned is the clock, suggesting that it is extremely quiet and there are no other sounds to mask the "sparrow's chirrup," "the flitting of the bats," or "the oxen's low." These animal noises further emphasize the lack of activity, highlighting Mariana's isolation. Additionally, these animal noises contribute to the poem through onomatopoeia, such as the sound of "low," creating a vivid portrayal of the dull atmosphere. The phrase "the oxen's low" exemplifies pathetic fallacy as it mirrors Mariana's melancholic state, as lowing is a sad and dreary sound.

The animals serve as a way to comprehend Mariana. For instance, the blue fly, which "sings in the pane," is unable to open the window on its own despite its futile efforts. It requires Mariana's assistance to attain freedom, much like how Mariana is reliant on her lover's return to liberate her from her longing.

In 'The Lady of Shallot', there is a clear contrast between the descriptions of the tower and Camelot. The surrounding countryside is described in a positive manner, with phrases such as "the sun came dazzling thro' the leaves" and "golden galaxy." These descriptions evoke a sense of beauty in the land. Additionally, Camelot is portrayed as a peaceful setting, as indicated by the blowing lilies and the continuous sunny weather during summer. This landscape stands in stark contrast to

the tower, characterized by "four grey walls and four grey towers," which goes against the cheerful surroundings. Tennyson uses phrases like "golden galaxy" and "purple night" to emphasize the vibrant colors of the landscape, whereas in 'Mariana', only black, white, and grey are mentioned, underscoring the dullness of the Grange.

In the poem, Camelot is depicted as a bustling location with a market and numerous people constantly traveling through it, described as "many-tower'd Camelot" where "up and down the people go." On the other hand, Mariana's isolated grange lacks any signs of human activity.

Mariana and the lady of shallot find themselves in comparable circumstances. Mariana's perspective on life is tainted by despair, much like the lady's view is centered solely on her mirror, which is the root of her despair. Both women are trapped - the lady by a curse that confines her to the tower, and Mariana by the absence of her lover, hindering her from living a normal life and leaving her house. Consequently, the man is effectively a curse on Mariana. This situation has caused Mariana to relinquish almost all hope, while the lady has lost all hope of being united with Lancelot.

Mariana's personality is evident in her behavior, as she demonstrates insecurity and indecisiveness. Her portrayal of her dissatisfaction is succinctly captured in the lines, "My life is dreary / He cometh not." She further emphasizes her weariness and longing for death with the words, "I am aweary, aweary / I would that I were dead!" Her ambivalence is apparent, as she cannot fully commit to her desire for death; otherwise, she would take immediate action, contrasting with a resolute and determined

individual who is unwavering in their emotions and decisions.

"Flashing into the crystal mirror, she abandoned her web and loom, taking three quick paces through the room."

This impulsive act reveals her undeniable passion and willingness to risk her own life for a mere glimpse of Sir Lancelot.

The Lady longs for Sir Lancelot with great intensity, as she lacks a loyal and true knight. It is evident that she is willing to give up her life, as she believes living without Lancelot is not worthwhile and prefers the solace of the grave over a solitary existence. Additionally, she desires to be part of the bustling activity in and out of Camelot. The repetitive mention of the word 'Camelot' further emphasizes her longing and despair.

She is obsessed with the outside world and longs to be included, weaving everything she sees in the mirror. In contrast, Mariana solely desires for her lover to return, expressing her dreary life without him through repetitive words, "'My life is dreary. He cometh not.'"

In certain instances, they are alike, only confined to different circumstances. Both possess something of great beauty, yet they are hindered from beholding it. Mariana possesses the exquisite heavens, yet she is unable to witness it when she uncovers her curtains at night with the lines "When thickest dark did trance the sky, She drew her casement-curtain by." Similarly, the lady of Shallot is unable to directly gaze upon Camelot, which serves as her sole passion alongside Lancelot.

Tennyson employs repetition to demonstrate the specific concerns of each woman. Mariana concentrates on all the aspects she complains about, while the lady fixates on Lancelot and Camelot - everything she

desires but cannot possess.

In spite of utilizing different settings, Tennyson's poems evoke a sense of melancholy in both Mariana and the lady. Mariana's mood darkens as she gazes out and finds nothing captivating, even describing the day as dreary. Conversely, the lady observes a cheerful group of maidens outside, but her inability to take part intensifies her feeling of exclusion.

Tennyson's intention is to elicit empathy towards these women, particularly the Lady, who exhibits dignity by refraining from crying or protesting, despite being isolated from normal everyday existence. This engenders contemplation in the reader's mind regarding the dire circumstances of living in such conditions.

Mariana's lover has left her and Tennyson aims to portray the cruelty and resulting sorrow caused by this abandonment. The lack of any depiction of him possibly implies that she cannot recall his appearance; all she knows is that "he cometh not." Tennyson seeks to depict these women as innocent victims of love, evoking sympathy because it is truly heartless to abandon women in such a dependent state.

All the descriptions of Sir Lancelot in the text have one thing in common - they all depict his image. For example, "the gemmy bridle glitter'd free." There is also mention of "a mighty silver bugle hung." These descriptions portray Lancelot as perfect, almost unreal. The lady, influenced by his good looks and her naivety, cannot imagine him as anything other than a gentleman. However, Tennyson may be using her character to illustrate how young women perceive men. Her death symbolizes marriage - as she leaves the tower to pursue Lancelot, she begins to fall apart, similar to how some housewives feel after they get married.

Mariana represents these housewives who see the cruel side of their husbands post-marriage. Additionally, the Lady of Shallot offers insight into how men viewed women during that period. In part four, the perspective shifts as the Lady is seen as an object. Lancelot acknowledges her presence and comments on her lovely face, subtly demonstrating that women were seen as mere objects.

The stanzas in 'Mariana' can be categorized into three groups based on their lack of passage of time. The first, fourth, and sixth stanzas depict the play of light and dark, indicating the absence of time. Mariana is equally depressed regardless of whether it is day or night, as she cries in both the morning and evening. Despite the poem covering three days, there is minimal description of the progression of each day. This alternation between flat days and sleepless nights creates a tormented and confused sense of time, disrupting the natural patterns of life that Mariana is trapped in.

"In sleep, she appeared to be walking."
This indicates that her body has become unaccustomed to being active during the day and unconscious during the night. During the day, she eagerly awaits its end, and at night, she endlessly longs for the arrival of day, filled with perpetual hope.

Most of the nouns are described without any motion, like in the example where "the blue fly sung in the pane." The word "singing" refers to the sound made by the fly's wing movements. However, the use of sound in describing movement creates the illusion that everything is still.

Throughout the poem, the use of pathetic fallacy is evident multiple times, creating a powerful and dramatic effect. The poem's extensive

assortment of negative adjectives creates a sense of a gloomy atmosphere, possibly reflecting Tennyson's feelings towards Victorian life.

The language used in Mariana contributes significantly to the atmosphere. For example, the use of rhyming words such as "Aweary," "dreary," "morn," and "forlorn" creates assonance, resulting in a slow and dreary sound in the poem. The emphasis on the elongated "a" sounds adds to the dragging effect.

The structure and wording of 'the Lady of Shallot' differ significantly. The stanzas are brief and impactful, similar to the words themselves, which compels readers to recite the poem quickly. Additionally, the rhyming words at the end of each sentence (lie, sky, by) are short and thus emphasize their significance. These monosyllabic words contribute to an optimistic atmosphere within the poem due to their combination with a specific rhyming scheme: the first four lines rhyme, as do the 7th, 8th, and 9th lines; finally, the 5th and 10th lines also rhyme.

The poems serve a purpose beyond entertainment - Tennyson uses them to critique Victorian society and its expectations of women. Regardless of whether the poems reflect his own emotions, they act as an outlet for his thoughts and feelings.

Firstly, the characters in the text convey a significant message. Although the lady is not identical to Mariana, they share similarities. Notably, the lady is wealthier than Mariana and resides in a tower instead of a grove. However, they both find themselves in isolation as they are surrounded by bodies of water - "the island of Shallot" and "the moated grange." This alone highlights their seclusion, as moats serve to deter people from entering, and even supernatural beings supposedly cannot cross water. Consequently,

their living situations become akin to prisons, mirroring how women during that era were confined to their homes. Tennyson aims to convey their frustration with society through this portrayal. While the lady is cursed and prevented from leaving, Mariana has the choice but is hindered by her lover, suggesting that the curse represents the dominant men in Victorian society. By featuring women in such distinct circumstances, Tennyson emphasizes that this problem affects women from all walks of life and illustrates that happiness cannot be equated with wealth.

Just like Mariana eagerly awaits the return of her lover, Victorian housewives also hope for their husbands' safe return from hazardous professions such as mining or working in a workhouse. Mariana's loyal expectation of her lover's return is evident in her words, as she recites, "my life is dreary, He cometh not."
Not only do I observe similarities between these two women, but I also notice a resemblance between Tennyson and the lady. They both possess artistic talents; Tennyson being a poet and the lady being a weaver. The lady weaves what she observes in the world, particularly in the mirror, paralleling the process of poetry, where Tennyson writes about his observations of the world around him. Furthermore, weaving served as a means for women to express themselves when they were denied a voice in society.

I have observed that the shattering of the mirror carries significance in multiple ways. It serves as both the cursed possession of the lady and a representation of Tennyson's own life being shattered by the death of his friend, Arthur Hallam. Just like the lady's life begins to unravel when the mirror breaks, so does

Tennyson's when Hallam passes away. Through the mirror's backward reflection of the outside world, it symbolically portrays the lady's distorted perception of reality, paralleling with Victorian housewives who fantasized about leading fairytale lives. This stark contrast to Victorian life may be a reason why Tennyson chose this setting.