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The Lady of Shalott
The Lady of Shalott is the third book in Visions in Poetry, an award-winning series of classic poems illustrated by outstanding contemporary artists in stunning hardcover editions. Tennyson's beautiful and enigmatic poem of unrequited love, set in Arthurian England, has enthralled artists for well over a century. With her luminous illustrations, Genevi?ve C?t? weaves a ref...more
Hardcover
Published
by Kids Can Press
(first published 1833)
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Mysterious, full of life, beauty, colors, and of passion: The Lady of Shalott is one of the most beautiful poems I've ever read. The skilful hands of painter John William Waterhouse -through his collection of paintings illustrating this tale- were the first to make me acquainted with the poem, and then there was Loreena Mckennitt's wonderful lyrical cover of the ballad. Thus the myth of The Lady of Shalott combines my favourite three forms of sublime art: poetry, singing, and painting.
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I'm bored at work and was just messing around goodreads when I happened upon this. Low and behold, the entire poem is in the description. Take a few minutes out of your day and read this beautiful poem. I guarantee you'll want to take a few minutes out of a few more days to read it again.
Arthurian legends are so full of adventure and intrigue that they are near irresistible in and of themselves, but turn prose to verse and you suddenly have something else entirely more magical (...more
Arthurian legends are so full of adventure and intrigue that they are near irresistible in and of themselves, but turn prose to verse and you suddenly have something else entirely more magical (...more
I haven't seen this illustrated version, I'll have to find it.
For anyone who really likes this poem, I recommend picking up a critical edition such as Ricks' Tennyson, which shows changes the poet made, sometimes even after the original publication. Mostly notably, in earlier versions of the poem the Lady arrives still alive before the knights and makes a declaration before dying; this was later changed to the standard version where she arrives already deceased and "has a lovely face...more
For anyone who really likes this poem, I recommend picking up a critical edition such as Ricks' Tennyson, which shows changes the poet made, sometimes even after the original publication. Mostly notably, in earlier versions of the poem the Lady arrives still alive before the knights and makes a declaration before dying; this was later changed to the standard version where she arrives already deceased and "has a lovely face...more
This is great! The poem itself easily earns 5 stars. I think the illustrator takes a little too much artistic license when she depicts the Lady of Shalott as a butterfly escaping from her cocoon at the end of the poem. I'll take the romantically tragic ending over her feminist one. Much more compelling, I think. But this is a wonderful little book that is part of a fantastic series (Visions in Poetry), perfect for introducing children to good poetry. I think I'll try it on my daughter when s...more
Breeana Shill
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone.
Recommended to Breeana by:
my high school teacher.
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Tennyson's The Lady of Shalott! I first read it while listening to the musical arrangement of it made by Loreena McKennitt and instantly loved it. It is my all-time favorite poem. I made my poor husband listen to the song and hoped he'd understand it and feel the same way I did (I was passionately describing it to him as it played). I recommend this to anyone and everyone! It helps to have someone reading it with you who understands it or to have a dictionary wit...more
There's a nice moment in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie which references this poem. They're reading it in class, and they've just reached the line
"What did you write it with?" she asks.
"I found a pot of paint on the bank," replies the Lady. "It had probably been left there by on...more
And round about the prow she wrote: 'The Lady of Shalott'.The schoolgirl, daydreaming and only half paying attention, imagines herself talking with Tennyson's eponymous heroine.
"What did you write it with?" she asks.
"I found a pot of paint on the bank," replies the Lady. "It had probably been left there by on...more
My favorite poem. Ever. Period. Even after all these years, it still gets to me. I think we've all felt what the Lady feels at some point in our lives. I reproduce it below in the hope that if you haven't read it, you will. It is long, but worth it, I feel. I beg of you to read past the Romantic descriptions of nature and the older English to what's really in there:
On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;
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On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;
...more
Strange. Not really my cup of tea, as I am neither a blushing maiden nor a 19th-century British homosexual.
I'm a big fan of Arthurian stuff, but I just didn't get this. Tennyson never tells us anything about the curse, so stuff just kinda...happens. It's not quite in ballad meter (you can't sing it to "Amazing Grace") but it's still numbingly rhythmic. Not Tennyson's best work, but, as it is Tennyson, it's still good.
You can read it here: http://charon.sfsu.edu/TENNYSON/TENNLADY...
I'm a big fan of Arthurian stuff, but I just didn't get this. Tennyson never tells us anything about the curse, so stuff just kinda...happens. It's not quite in ballad meter (you can't sing it to "Amazing Grace") but it's still numbingly rhythmic. Not Tennyson's best work, but, as it is Tennyson, it's still good.
You can read it here: http://charon.sfsu.edu/TENNYSON/TENNLADY...
There is something so beautiful and haunting about this poem. No matter how many times I've read it (at least once a year), I never tire of it and I am always blown away by the elegant flow of the words Tennyson used.
Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Through the wave that runs for ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Oh. And it doesn't hurt that it was in Anne of Green Gables the movie.
Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Through the wave that runs for ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Oh. And it doesn't hurt that it was in Anne of Green Gables the movie.
I want to warn you that if someone offers you the choice of this book or a box of chocolate, you might want to take the book. It is lovely, filled with luminous pastel art, front to back. Seriously the kind of edition you want to tuck under your pillow like you did when you were little. I got it out last night and reread it and just thought I would post it in case some one is looking for a last minute gift for someone.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
Tennyson's The Lady of Shalott, is one of my favorite poems, which is saying something considering i am not a fan of historic reads (not including shakespear). Based in the time of king arthur ( who was an actual person ) this is something i have read a few times. The poem is beautiful and i think everyone should give Tennyson some more credit, i was very upset when i saw this in the dissapointment list.
One of my Dad's favourite poems .He was able to recite it in its entirety-often in the bath! Myself , as a child, sitting book in hand checking for his mistakes . I wish I had had the courage to read it at his funeral. I know its a little rumpty tumpty (it rhymes!) and I'm sure true poetry lovers find it a little too popular, but it has a magical quality and a special history for me
"She left the web, left the loom,
She made three paces thro' the room,
She saw the water-lilly bloom,
She saw the helmet and the plume,
She look'd down to Camelot.
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror crack'd from side to side;
'The curse is come upon me,' cried
The Lady of Shalott."
Lady of Shalott, Part III
She made three paces thro' the room,
She saw the water-lilly bloom,
She saw the helmet and the plume,
She look'd down to Camelot.
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror crack'd from side to side;
'The curse is come upon me,' cried
The Lady of Shalott."
Lady of Shalott, Part III
One of the best works ALT ever turned out. I would rate it a close aecond behind Maud. The poem is based on Arthurian legends of Camelot and Lancelot's destructive nature. Read into this poem if you will, or enjoy it for itself. ANYONE WHO DOESN'T LOVE THIS: I pity you. I reserve 5* for Maud, in Tennyson's case.
Of all the versions of the Camelot story, this is my personal favourite...helped, in part, thanks to Loreena McKennitt's magnificent musical version. It takes some skill for poetry to reach a man like myself, who usually has little time for it. But this poem finds its target like an arrow drawn to a bullseye.
I have a fondness for Arthurian lore and I enjoyed the poem--it's pretty hard to ruin Tennyson. BUT not a fan of the illustrations by Genevieve Cote. Some were lovely and added an eerie quality to the story but I didn't like how some looked like modern landscapes, it felt very strange and incongruous.
I want to read this again, it being sometime since I read it (and I doubt I fully understood it back then). I remember loving it though, and it stuck in my head enough that when I looked at the painting I knew immediately what it was of, so though I remember little about it I'm sure it was good.
Beautifully written and exquisitely sad. My all time favorite piece of poetry. Any girl growing up with Anne of Green Gables will already know most of the lines, and the rest are a masterpiece to discover.
Joseph
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommended to Joseph by:
Anne of Green Gables
Shelves:
poetry
Such a romantic and moving poem! In the book Anne of Green Gables she reads this poem..."Willows Whisper, Aspens Quiver..." I really enjoyed reading it because it's so heartfelt and deep.
I never cared much for the story itself, but Tennyson's rhyme scheme is just fantastic. If one ever had any doubt of his talents, this is the poem to prove his mettle.
actually, this is my wishlist anyway.
I haven't even have this book, see or touch it yet.
but, I can feel that I will, someday :)
I haven't even have this book, see or touch it yet.
but, I can feel that I will, someday :)
When I was in HS, this poem resonated with me so much that I wanted to paint it on my walls. It has drama, adventure, suspense and romance. Definitely worthy of the paintings it has inspired.
One of my all-time favorite poems! I always seem to get choked-up on the line: "I'm half-sick of shadows".
What a poem. It's heart-wrenching. Beautiful. Sad as hell. Truthful.
"I am half sick of shadows..." What a line.
One of the greatest poems ever written and definitely one of my favourite poems.
"I am half sick of shadows..." What a line.
One of the greatest poems ever written and definitely one of my favourite poems.
I enjoy Tennyson's rhymes and the flow of his words, but the story was so-so.
I memorized this poem in 8th grade, and have loved it ever since.
Lovely classic poem, accompanied by beautiful illustrations.
My most favourite Victorian poem. I love it so much.
Awesome. Classic. illustrations are a niice addition
The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Tennyson (1999)
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Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS was Poet Laureate succeeding Wordsworth during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular poets in the English language.
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“I am half-sick of shadows,' said The Lady of Shalott.”
—
47 people liked it
“She left the web, she left the loom,
She made three paces through the room,
She saw the water-lily bloom,
She saw the helmet and the plume,
She look'd down to Camelot.
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror crack'd from side to side;
"The curse is come upon me," cried
The Lady of Shalott.”
—
5 people liked it
More quotes…
She made three paces through the room,
She saw the water-lily bloom,
She saw the helmet and the plume,
She look'd down to Camelot.
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror crack'd from side to side;
"The curse is come upon me," cried
The Lady of Shalott.”
