The Lady of Shalott

LEARNING RESOURCE MATERIAL
The Lady of Shalott © 2005. Written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and illustrated by Geneviève Côté.
www.kidscanpress.com
About the Visions in Poetry Series
Visions in Poetry is an award-winning series of classic poems
illustrated by outstanding contemporary artists in stunning
hardcover editions.
About “The Lady of Shalott”
Originally published in 1832, Tennyson’s romantic narrative is
one of the best-known and most beloved poems in the English
language. Set in Arthurian England, “The Lady of Shalott” tells
the story of the Lady of Shalott, who is imprisoned in a tower on
an island near Camelot. Because of an unexplained curse, she is
forbidden to look out the window. Seeing the world only through
the reflection in her mirror, she spends her days weaving a
tapestry, until one day Sir Lancelot rides past. When she rushes
to the window to see Lancelot, the mirror breaks and the Lady’s
tragic fate is sealed.
“The Lady of Shalott” has been interpreted in many different
ways. It is read by some as a commentary on a woman’s place
in Victorian England and as a metaphor for the role of the artist
within (and outside of) society. With her luminous illustrations,
Geneviève Côté weaves her own interpretation of this poem, one
that will enchant readers of all ages.
About the Author
Alfred, Lord Tennyson was a British poet who lived from 1809–92. He
was appointed Poet Laureate in 1850 by Queen Victoria in succession to
Wordsworth. He penned such classics as Idylls of the King, In Memoriam,
“Morte d’Arthur,” “Ulysses,” “The Lotos-Eaters” and “The Charge of the Light
Brigade.” “The Lady of Shalott” is, arguably, Tennyson’s most beloved poem.
About the Illustrator
Geneviève Côté is an award-winning artist from Montreal, Quebec. She has
illustrated a number of books for children, including The Amazing Story of
the Little Black Sheep and Minn and Jake. Her artwork has also appeared in
publications such as the New York Times and the Boston Globe. The Lady
of Shalott is her first book with Kids Can Press.
The Lady of Shalott © 2005. Written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and illustrated by Geneviève Côté.
www.kidscanpress.com
Discussion Topics and Activities
The following discussion topics and activities are
suitable for classes in language and literature, media
and visual arts.
Please note that some of the activities in this
learning resource require students to visit their local
library or use the Internet for research.
1. An Artist’s Interpretation
There are many different artistic renderings of
Tennyson’s poem “The Lady of Shalott.” As an
individual research assignment, ask your students
to look for an illustration or painting that depicts
a scene, character or line from the poem. Students
can conduct their research at the library or
through the Internet using their favorite search
engine. If the chosen illustration or painting is not
accompanied by a suitable description explaining
the image, ask students to refer back to the poem
to determine which scene, line or character the
artist is interpreting. Next, ask students to find
Geneviève Côté’s visual interpretation of the same
scene, character or line, and write a one-page essay
comparing both artists’ renderings. In their essay,
students should compare the interpretation and
artistic style of each artist and explain which one
appeals to them more and why.
2. Debate Your Point of View
In the poem, Tennyson eloquently reveals the tragic
passing of the Lady of Shalott through the following
lines: “For ere she reach’d upon the tide / The first
house by the water-side, / Singing in her song she died,
/ The Lady of Shalott.” However, Geneviève Côté offers
a hopeful interpretation of what happens to the Lady
of Shalott by illustrating her as a butterfly flying free
in the final image of the book. This image provides an
alternate ending to the text, which allows the reader to
interpret the poem differently.
Divide your class into two groups and have a class
debate discussing whether the message of the poem
is tragic or hopeful. Assign each group a side to
defend and ask students to use examples from the
poem, including both text and illustrations, to back
up their opinions.
Provide each side with ten minutes of preparation
time and then have each side argue their points. The
time limit for the debate should be no more than
fifteen minutes and no less than ten minutes. Once the
debate is over, explain to students that the point of the
exercise was not to declare a winner, but to understand
that art is open to multiple interpretations.
3. Setting in “The Lady of Shalott”
Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem “The Lady of Shalott”
is set in Arthurian England. Divide your class into
groups of two or three and ask them to research
Arthurian England and the legends about King Arthur
and the Knights of the Round Table (e.g., Gawain,
Lancelot, Bedivere, etc.) Ask students to answer the
following questions: Who is King Arthur? Where is
Camelot? Who are the Knights of the Round Table?
Who is Sir Lancelot? Are these Arthurian legends
based on historical facts? Have each group share their
research with the rest of the class.
4. Draw Your Own Conclusions
Throughout Tennyson’s poem, the nature and origin
of the curse remain a mystery to the reader. “She
knows not what the curse may be, / And so she
weaveth steadily, / And little other care hath she,
/ The Lady of Shalott.”
Divide your class into groups of four or five and ask
them to develop a prequel to the poem. The prequel
should be written in verse, and it should attempt to
explain and answer the following questions: Why is
the Lady of Shalott locked in a tower? Who or what
locked her in the tower? Who or what cast the curse
upon her? Why was the curse cast upon her? Each
group should also include illustrations to accompany
their text. Ask each group to present their completed
prequel to the class. Once the presentations are
over, have a class discussion exploring reasons why
Tennyson did not include more information about
the curse in the poem.
5. Symbolism in “The Lady of Shalott”
Geneviève Côté’s interpretation of the poem is filled
with visual symbols and metaphors (for example,
reapers, ravens, lilies, a butterfly, a mirror, a web,
weaving, etc.). Ask students to go through the poem
and list as many visual symbols and metaphors as
they can find. As part of a class assignment, ask
students to explain what each symbolizes and its
significance in the poem.
The Lady of Shalott © 2005. Written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and illustrated by Geneviève Côté.
www.kidscanpress.com
6. Create an Obituary
As an individual take-home assignment, ask students to write
an obituary for the Lady of Shalott. Explain to students that
they should write her obituary as a character sketch that
describes the type of person she was. Students should also
include background information about her in the obituary;
for example, did the Lady of Shalott have a family? Friends?
Did she work? Students might also include their own
illustration of her.
7. Create a Collage
Locked in a tower on an island, the Lady of Shalott spends
her time weaving a tapestry of the images she sees reflected
in a large mirror in her room. As an individual assignment,
ask students to create a collage of what they think the Lady of
Shalott would see reflected in her mirror today. Have students
choose a new modern-day location for her tower (it can be
situated anywhere in the world). Based on this new location,
the Lady of Shalott’s tapestry should reveal the following:
people, scenery, buildings and location. Students should create
their collage using images from newspapers, magazines, the
Internet and their own illustrations. Have students present
their collage to the class and explain what it reveals about that
part of the world today.
Also available in the Visions in Poetry series
Coming in Spring 2006, Casey at the Bat
The activity pages in this learning resource have been
designed as originals that can be reproduced for home or
classroom use only. For more learning resource materials,
please visit kidscanpress.com.
The Lady of Shalott © 2005. Written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and illustrated by Geneviève Côté.
www.kidscanpress.com