In the Arthurian legendsstories about the life and court of King Arthur of Britain, the Lady of Shalott was a young woman named Elaine of Astolat who died of unfulfilled love for Sir Lancelot, the greatest of King Arthur's knights. Lancelot had entered a joustingfight on horseback between two knights tournament but wanted to hide his true identity so he asked Elaine to give him a different shield. In return, he agreed to wear her colors in the tournament.

Lancelot won the contest, but he was injured and fled to avoid being discovered. Elaine found him and nursed him back to health. She also revealed her love for him. However, Lancelot could not return her affections because he loved Guinevere.

The heartbroken Elaine died of grief, but before dying, she wrote a letter to Lancelot requesting that he...