Similarities Between The Lady Of Shalott And Jeanie's

However, it is not the indulgence that leads to their respective illness and death, but the shame associated with the act itself. This directly correlates with they way female sexuality was viewed during the Victorian era, as many women were shamed if they were discovered to have had an affair outside of marriage. Similar to “The Lady of Shalott,” after her experience with the goblins, Laura no longer takes joy in her work and, like Jeanie, grows despondent and nears death. Laura's journey may have ended much like “The Lady of Shalott,” and Jeanie's, were it not for Lizzie. Lizzie acts as redeemer in this poem. She cannot have Laura suffer the same fate as Jeanie and so determines to save her. She brings a coin so as to not give up a piece …show more content…
In “The Lady of Shalott,” Lancelot is described at great length in a near god-like fashion, allusions to “meteors, stars, galaxies” all convey this. His appearance is meant to captivate the reader with his beauty and grace: “His broad clear brow in sunlight glowed;/ On burnished hooves his war horse trode;/ From underneath his helmet flowed/ His coal-black curls as on he rode” (lines 100-104). He is an unattainable figure and he remains as such throughout the poem. In her essay, Judith Jacob describes it is as, “The burning and all-powerful language of desire follows Lancelot into the world of Shalott, and shatters the fragile life of female art and reflection” (Jacob, “Tennyson's Women”). Lancelot and her desire for him are the only thing that take the Lady away from her work, thus causing her death. However, Lancelot is portrayed as a sympathetic figure, commenting on her beauty and with far less fear than the citizens of Camelot. He is unaware of the Lady's love and sacrifice for him, and so suffers nothing. It is the Lady who is responsible for her own ruin. This lends to the expectation, especially for the Victorian age, that women should know better and should be stronger in their will to resist temptation, and the lure of a handsome …show more content…
In “The Lady of Shalott,” Tennyson paints a tragic picture with the Lady being bound to her grim fate. His use of Romantic imagery further encapsulates this tragedy. She is dressed in a“snow white gown, sailing in a barge and singing as she dies.” She is very accepting of her fate, knowing she must face the consequences of her actions. In their article, “Tennyson’s Poems “The Lady of Shalott” and “Mariana” Represent Fallen Women of Victorian Period,” Entidhar Al-Rahid and Ahmed Al Mayyahi write, “For gazing at Sir Lancelot, the “Lady of Shalott” becomes a fallen woman and receives the punishment of death” (Rahid & Mayyahi). She makes no attempt to change her destiny, because there is no way to. Similarly, many Victorian women must have felt just as helpless. This end is a far more critical view of the fate of “Fallen women,” which was held by many in Victorian society. The Lady knew it would lead to her death and yet still chose to engage in immoral behavior, bringing ruin upon herself. In the second to last line of the poem, Lancelot says, “God in his mercy lend her grace,” (line 170) meaning that in life she was damned, but hopefully she would find redemption after death, almost as if to say that she was deserving of death and that it would bring her