Tennyson's 1832 poem, "The Lady of Shalott," found itself born again in its revised state.
after Tennyson's ten year silent period. In both versions, the Lady of Shalott is a body of.
creativity. Her weaving is an artform. Enveloped in the tapestry are images and pictures.
of the reflections she sees passing in her magic mirror. The Lady of Shalott is an artist of.
both the loom and of images. Tennyson uses this status and her fate to embody the.
characteristics of an artist. For example, she is withdrawn in a tower from which she can.
see below the workings of a society - Camelot. An artist must, therefore, be secluded and.
detached so as to accurately convey the meaning behind his/her subjects and make a.
statement on society. However, this portrayal of the detached and elusive artist is even.
more clearly defined in specific revisions of the poem between 1832 and 1842. The.
deletion of specific descriptive details and the changing of the final stanza proves that.
the1842 revised version of Tennyson's "The Lady of Shalott" is more effective in.
conveying the notability of an artist who detaches and abstracts from his/her subject so as.
to make an accurate statement on society.
Specific details are described in the 1832 version of "The Lady of Shalott" which.
are excluded from the revised 1842 version. Specifically, images of adornment that add.
to the description of the Lady in the earlier version are removed from the later version of.
the poem. For example, the 1832 version specifically mentions pearls decorating the Lady.
of Shalott. She is described as having a "cloudwhite crown of pearl" and a "pearlgarland.
winding her head". In addition, in this earlier version, the portrait of the.
Lady of Shalott is not the only concept described with more detail and adornment. The.
images that create her setting are also described in more decorative detail: "She leaneth.
on a velvet bed,/ Fully royally apparelled". It is these details that create a.
