LEARNING RESOURCE MATERIAL

The Lady of Shalott © 2005. Written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and illustrated by Geneviève Côté. www.kidscanpress.com

The Lady of Shalott © 2005. Written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and illustrated by Geneviève Côté. www.kidscanpress.com

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 refl ection 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 fi rst book with Kids Can Press.

About the Visions in Poetry SeriesVisions in Poetry is an award-winning series of classic poems illustrated by outstanding contemporary artists in stunning hardcover editions.

The Lady of Shalott © 2005. Written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and illustrated by Geneviève Côté. www.kidscanpress.com

1. An Artist’s InterpretationThere 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 fi nd 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 ViewIn 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 fi rst 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 butterfl y fl ying free in the fi nal 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

fi fteen 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 ConclusionsThroughout 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 fi ve 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 fi lled with visual symbols and metaphors (for example, reapers, ravens, lilies, a butterfl y, a mirror, a web, weaving, etc.). Ask students to go through the poem and list as many visual symbols and metaphors as they can fi nd. As part of a class assignment, ask students to explain what each symbolizes and its signifi cance in the poem.

Discussion Topics and ActivitiesThe 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.

The Lady of Shalott © 2005. Written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and illustrated by Geneviève Côté. www.kidscanpress.com

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.

6. Create an ObituaryAs 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 refl ected 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 refl ected 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