Jan 6, 2010

The Lady of Shalott | Summary

Lines 1-9
This poem starts off by giving a visual overview of the situation. The reader is shown the river and the road, and, far in the distance, the towers of Camelot. The people mentioned in this section are not given specific identities; rather, they are common people going about their daily business. It is from their perspective that the poem first shows Shalott, an island in the river.

Lines 10-18
The imagery here is of nature, of freedom, of movement. This is contrasted with the inflexible, colorless walls and towers of...