Lady of Shalott

The "Lady of Shalott" is a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, inspired by Arthurian legend. It tells of a woman living alone in a tower near Camelot, cursed to weave a continuous tapestry and unable to look directly at the outside world. She can only see reflections of the city and the knights passing by in a mirror. When she finally looks out her window, she sees Sir Lancelot and is overcome with a longing for life beyond her confinement. She leaves her tower, attempts to reach Camelot, but dies before arriving. The poem explores themes of longing, creativity, and the constraints of isolation.