As I began to read Tennyson’s “The Lady of Shallott”, I could not help but think of the times when I was not allowed to leave the yard as a child. My yard, the “Four gray walls, and four gray towers,” (line 15) was my barrier and I did not dare try and cross it. But still there were times when I felt compelled to test the waters. Watching my friends as they played was like watching the flowers and river mentioned by Tennyson. However, there was no way that I was going to step foot out of that yard.
Then that day came when I actually got up the nerve to escape my prison. However, unlike Lady Shallott, “the mirror cracked from side to side, the curse is come upon me she cried,” (lines 114 and 115) I knew what my curse would be. Yet I was still willing to accept it just to enjoy a day with my friends. I believe that at some point The Lady felt the same way. Despite not knowing what her curse was, she was willing to accept her fate just for a moment of happiness, to meet Lancelot.
We all have our four gray walls and towers from time to time. But as young adults, there are times when something will entice us to choose a path that should not be taken; whether it is for fame and glory, fun, or a little sheet music, we are willing to take that chance.
Reggie,
ReplyDeleteInteresting juxtaposition of your childhood experiences with Tennyson's poem. While it is OK to include your experiences in these blogs, since after all they set up the way you encounter and interpret a text, the focus needs to be on the literature because this is an English course. Here the focus is more on you than on Tennyson or his poem or main character. Also, when you quote a passage, be sure to discuss it in more detail.
Sometimes I think that our "grey walls" consists of the barriers we put in our minds. Like the Lady Shallot we see the world from the confines of our mind and our experiences. I thought of my own experiences. I too, wasn't allowed to leave the confines of my home until I began working. However I wasn't as bold as Lady Shallot, my curse was my mother. Her punishment was worse than any curse! I like the comparison between your experience and that of Lady Shallot. It made the poetry a little more tangible for me. I was able to take myself out of the Victorian era for a bit and apply my thoughts to the images and words.
ReplyDeleteI like how you tie your own experiences into the literature. I also think I know what your curse may have been, we've all been at that age when we wanted to test our boundaries. And we often know what that will lead to.
ReplyDeleteWith this being one of my favorite poems, I found how you relate to the poem to be insightful. I always think of this poem as being a tale about love, how love is worth everything and to experience life caution must be thrown to the wind.
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