Who is the Lady of Shallot?

Answer 1

Tennyson wrote The Lady Of Shalott at a time when he was starting focussing on themes of human relations, especially man-woman relations. Tennyson's purpose in writing The Lady Of Shalott was to show (and relish) how sometimes a strong magnetic male personality may captivate a fragile woman's life like a passing storm and blow her life to smithereens. Though secluded and cursed, the lady was leading a somewhat tranquil life in the island of Shalott, as can be guessed from the usual sights she sees from her window, indirectly though through a mirror. Sir Lancelot was only passing through the river bank. Just one look at that magnificent personage, and she forgot everything and looked directly at him through her forbidden window.The Woman has only one purpose, she can do nothing but go away the way the storm went. Knowing not the doom caused by him on her life, seeing her floating dead along the river at Camelot, Sir Lancelot only commented: What a beautiful face! She was only a fallen leaf, shook and blown away by the storm that was him. Such frantic and sudden affections are not uncommon in Literature or in human life either.

Answer 2

The Lady Of Shallot was a cursed woman who was trapped on the Island of Shallot. She had a curse on her which withheld her from looking out of the window, only to see the reflection in the mirror. One day, Sir Lancelot wanders by, and she looks out of the window. She had to go into a boat and sing her last song as she died.

There where also three candles that symbolised life on the boat. Two of them had blown out, so The Lady Of Shallot knew that her life was coming to an end.