The Lady of Shalott
Yes Volume 4 : Poetry Extension
Poetry
Extension
PART I
On either side the river lie 1
Long fields of barley2 and of rye 3,
That clothe4 the wold 5 and meet the sky;
And thro’6 the field the road runs by7
To many-tower’d 8 Camelot;
And up and down the people go,
Gazing 9 where the lilies blow10
Round an island there below,
The island of Shalott.
Willows11 whiten12, aspens13 quiver14,
Little breezes dusk15 and shiver16
Thro’6 the wave 17 that runs for ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four grey18 walls, and four grey towers,
Overlook19 a space of flowers,
And the silent isle imbowers20
The Lady of Shalott.
By the margin21, willow veil’d22,
Slide23 the heavy barges24 trail’d25
By slow horses; and unhail’d
The shallop26 flitteth27 silken-sail’d28
Skimming29 down 30 to Camelot:
But who hath 31 seen her wave her hand?
Or at the casement32 seen her stand?
Or is she known in all the land,
The Lady of Shalott?
Only reapers33, reaping early
In among the bearded barley34,
lie – (in this case) there are
barley – (Hordeum vulgare) a
type of cereal
3
rye – (Secale cereale) a type of
cereal
4
to clothe – (in this case) cover
5
wold – an open piece of land
(with few or no trees)
6
thro’ – through
7
to run by (run-ran-run) – pass
(by)
8
many-tower’d – that has a lot
of towers and turrets
9
to gaze – look fixedly
10
to blow (blow-blew-blown) –
move about in the breeze/wind
11
willow – (Salix) a type of tree
1
2
2 | YES 4
to whiten – (in this case) show
the pale underside of their
foliage when the wind blows
13
aspen – a type of tree
14
to quiver – shake. The aspens’
foliage seems to tremble in
the wind
15
to dusk – to make sth. darker,
darken, obscure
16
to shiver – tremble, shake
17
wave – (in this case) current,
flow
18
grey (UK English) – gray (US
English)
19
to overlook – (in this case)
look onto, offer a view of
20
to imbower – enclose,
12
Hear a song that echoes cheerly35
From the river winding36 clearly,
Down to tower’d Camelot:
And by the moon the reaper33 weary37,
Piling38 sheaves39 in uplands airy40,
Listening, whispers41 “ ’Tis42 the fairy43
Lady of Shalott.”
imprison
margin – edge, (in this case)
riverbank
22
willow veiled – covered by
willows11
23
to slide – (in this case) glide
24
barge – canal boat, river boat
25
to trail – (in this case) pull, drag
26
shallop – a little open boat for
shallow water
27
flitteth – flies, glides quickly
28
silken-sailed – having light
sails made of silk
29
to skim – glide, float
30
down – downstream towards
31
hath – (archaic) has
32
casement – window
21
reaper – sb. who gathers/harvests grain
34
bearded barley –
35
cheerly – happily
36
to wind (wind-woundwound) – (in this case) meander
37
weary – tired, exhausted
38
to pile – accumulate
39
sheaf (plural ‘sheaves’) –
bundle of cut grain,
40
uplands airy – windy hills,
windswept highlands
41
to whisper – say in a low
voice
42
’tis – it is, it’s
43
fairy (adj.) – magical,
supernatural
33
Poetry
Extension
PART II
There she weaves1 by night and day
A magic web2 with colours gay3.
She has heard a whisper4 say,
A curse5 is on her if she stay6
To look down to Camelot.
She knows not what the curse may be,
And so she weaveth7 steadily8,
And little other care hath she9,
The Lady of Shalott.
And moving thro’10 a mirror11 clear
That hangs12 before her all the year,
Shadows13 of the world appear.
There she sees the highway near
Winding down14 to Camelot:
There the river eddy15 whirls16,
And there the surly17 village-churls18,
And the red cloaks19 of market girls,
Pass onward20 from Shalott.
Sometimes a troop of damsels glad21,
An abbot22 on an ambling pad23,
Sometimes a curly24 shepherd-lad25,
Or long-hair’d page in crimson clad26,
Goes by to tower’d27 Camelot;
And sometimes thro’10 the mirror11 blue
The knights28 come riding two and two:
She hath29 no loyal knight and true30,
The Lady of Shalott.
But in her web2 she still delights31
To weave1 the mirror’s11 magic sights,
For often thro’10 the silent nights
to weave (weave-wove-woven) –
web – (in this case) tapestry
3
with colours gay – brightly
coloured
4
whisper – (in this case) rumour
5
curse – malediction
6
to stay (in this case) pause, stop
what one is doing
7
weaveth – (archaic) weaves1
8
steadily
– constantly
9
and little other
care hath she –
and she has few
other things to
worry about
thro’ – through
mirror – looking glass (old
fashioned),
12
to hang (hanghung-hung) – be
suspended
13
shadow – (in this case)
reflection
14
to wind /waind/ down (windwound-wound) – meander
down, descend in a zigzagging
way
15
eddy – little whirlpool, small
vortex
16
to whirl – swirl, move in a circle
A funeral, with plumes32 and lights
And music, went to Camelot:
Or when the moon was overhead33,
Came two young lovers lately wed34:
“I am half sick of shadows13,” said
The Lady of Shalott.
surly – bad-tempered, brusque
village-churl – farm labourer
19
cloak – cape
20
to pass onward – continue
one’s journey
21
a troop of damsels glad – a
group of happy innocent
young women
22
abbot – churchman who
manages an abbey (= type of
monastery)
23
an ambling pad – a lethargic
old horse
24
curly – curly-haired, whose hair
is not straight
25
shepherd-lad – boy who takes
1
10
17
2
11
18
care of sheep
in crimson clad – wearing
dark red clothing
27
tower’d – towered, fortified
28
knight –
29
hath – (archaic) has
30
she hath no loyal knight
and true – she doesn’t
have a faithful knight who
is devoted to her
31
to delight in sth. – enjoy sth.
32
plumes – (in this case) feathers,
plumage
33
overhead – high in the sky
34
lately wed – who had recently
got married
26
YES 4 | 3
Poetry
Extension
PART III
A bow-shot1 from her bower-eaves2,
He rode between the barley3-sheaves4,
The sun came dazzling5 thro’6 the leaves7,
And flamed upon the brazen8 greaves9
Of bold10 Sir Lancelot.
A red-cross knight11 for ever kneel’d12
To a lady in his shield13,
That sparkled14 on the yellow field,
Beside remote Shalott.
The gemmy15 bridle16 glitter’d17 free,
Like to some branch18 of stars we see
Hung19 in the golden Galaxy.
The bridle16 bells20 rang merrily
As he rode down to Camelot:
And from his blazon’d21 baldric22 slung23
A mighty24 silver bugle25 hung19,
And as he rode his armour rung26,
Beside remote Shalott.
His broad clear brow35 in sunlight glow’d36;
On burnish’d37 hooves38 his war-horse trode39;
From underneath his helmet flow’d40
His coal-black curls41 as on he rode,
As he rode down to Camelot.
From the bank and from the river
He flash’d into42 the crystal mirror43,
“Tirra lirra,” by the river
Sang Sir Lancelot.
All in the blue unclouded weather27
Thick-jewell’d shone the saddle28-leather29,
The helmet30 and the helmet-feather31
Burn’d like one burning flame together,
As he rode down to Camelot.
As often thro’6 the purple night,
Below the starry clusters32 bright,
Some bearded meteor33, trailing34 light,
Moves over still Shalott.
She left the web44, she left the loom45,
She made three paces46 thro’6 the room,
She saw the water-lily47 bloom,
She saw the helmet30 and the plume48,
She look’d down to Camelot.
Out flew the web44 and floated wide;
The mirror43 crack’d49 from side to side;
“The curse50 is come upon51 me,” cried
The Lady of Shalott.
bow-shot – the typical distance
an archer can shoot an arrow, a
few dozen metres
2
bower-eaves – (in this
case) room
3
barley – (Hordeum vulgare) a type of cereal
4
sheaf –
5
dazzling – shining brightly
6
thro’ – through
7
leaves – foliage
8
brazen – made of brass (= a
type of metal)
9
greaves – armoured protection
for one’s lower leg
10
bold – valiant, courageous, gallant
11
red-crossed
knight – crusader
12
to kneel (kneelknelt-knelt) –
1
4 | YES 4
shield –
to sparkle – shine,
glimmer, gleam
15
gemmy – covered in
gems, glittering
16
bridle –
17
to glitter – sparkle,
gleam, shine, glisten
18
branch – (literally)
bough, limb of a tree
19
hung – suspended
20
bell – (in this case)
21
blazoned
– decorated
22
baldric – a sword
belt wore over the
right shoulder and the left hip
23
to sling (sling-slang-slung) –
hang, dangle
24
mighty – powerful, enormous
25
bugle –
13
14
to ring (ring-rang-rung) – make
a harmonious metallic noise
27
unclouded weather – clear
sky
28
saddle –
29
saddle-leather
– the leather
(= cured cow’s
hide) of which the
saddle28 was made
30
helmet –
31
feather – piece of
plumage
32
starry clusters
– constellations
33
bearded meteor – comet
34
to trail – leave a stream
35
brow – forehead
36
to glow – (literally) emit light
37
burnished – polished, shining,
gleaming
26
hoof (plural ‘hooves’) – the
hard feet of a horse
39
trode – (archaic form) trod,
walked
40
to flow – fall, cascade
41
curls – hair
42
to flash into
– be reflected luminously by
43
mirror –
44
web – (in this case)
tapestry
45
loom (n.) –
46
pace – step, stride
47
water-lily – (Nymphaea) a plant
48
plume – feather31
49
to crack – break
50
curse – malediction
51
is come upon – has
arrived to torment
38
Poetry
Extension
PART IV
In the stormy1 east-wind straining2,
The pale yellow woods were waning3,
The broad stream4 in his banks complaining5,
Heavily the low sky raining
Over tower’d Camelot;
Down she came and found a boat
Beneath a willow6 left afloat7,
And round about the prow8 she wrote
The Lady of Shalott.
Heard a carol23, mournful24, holy,
Chanted loudly, chanted lowly,
Till her blood was frozen slowly,
And her eyes were darken’d wholly25,
Turn’d to tower’d Camelot.
For26 ere27 she reach’d28 upon the tide29
The first house by the water-side,
Singing in her song she died,
The Lady of Shalott.
Under tower and balcony,
By garden-wall and gallery,
A gleaming30 shape31 she floated by,
Dead-pale between the houses high,
Silent into Camelot.
Out upon the wharfs32 they came,
Knight and burgher33, lord and dame,
And round the prow8 they read her
name,
The Lady of Shalott.
And down the river’s dim9 expanse
Like some bold10 seër11 in a trance,
Seeing all his own mischance12—
With a glassy countenance13
Did she look to Camelot.
And at the closing of the day
She loosed14 the chain,
and down she lay15;
The broad stream4
bore16 her far away,
The Lady of Shalott.
Who is this? and what is here?
And in the lighted palace near
Died the sound of royal cheer34;
And they cross’d themselves for fear,
All the knights at Camelot:
But Lancelot mused a little space35;
He said, “She has a lovely face;
God in his mercy lend her grace,
The Lady of Shalott.”
Lying, robed in snowy white17
That loosely flew to
left and right18 –
The leaves upon her falling light19 –
Thro’20 the noises of the night
She floated down to Camelot:
And as the boat-head
wound along21
The willowy hills and
fields among22,
They heard her singing her last song,
The Lady of Shalott.
stormy – tempestuous
to strain – struggle, be pulled to
one’s limit
3
to wane – (in this case) change
colour (in autumn)
4
broad stream – river
5
to complain – (literally) protest,
(in this case) the river makes a
noise as if it were lamenting
6
willow – (Salix) a type of tree
7
afloat – floating in the river
8
prow – bow, front of a boat
9
dim – dark and depressing
10
bold – audacious
11
seër – clairvoyant
1
2
mischance – misfortune, bad
luck
13
glassy countenance – glazed
expression
14
to loose – untie, unfasten
15
down she lay – she lay down,
she reclined
16
to bear (bear-bore-borne)
– carry
17
robed in snowy white – wearing a white dress
18
that loosely flew to left and
right – that blew about in the
wind
19
the leaves upon her falling
12
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light – foliage gently fell on her
thro’ – through
21
as the boat-head wound
along – as the boat drifted
down (= moved floating and
carried by the current of) the
river
22
the willowy hills and fields
among – past wooded hills
and fields
23
carol – Christmas song
24
mournful – sad, sorrowful
25
wholly – completely
26
for – (in this case) since,
because
20
ere – (poetic) before
to reach – get to, arrive at
29
upon the tide – with the flowing of the river
30
gleaming – glittering, glistening, shining
31
shape – form
32
wharf – quay, landing place,
jetty, waterfront
33
burgher – merchant, prosperous citizen
34
cheer – (in this case)
celebration
35
to muse a little space – pause
to consider the situation
27
28
YES 4 | 5