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References to Magic

“The Lady of Shalott” features several references to magic that locate the narrative poem in the quasi-fantastical world of Arthurian legend. The most obvious reference to magic is the mysterious curse that hangs over the title character, who keeps herself busy to avoid looking toward Camelot and thereby activating it. Clearly linked to this curse is the “magic web” (line 38) the Lady spends all her time weaving. It isn’t clear what magic this web might possess, though its magical properties may be related to the way her labor on it keeps her yoked to her loom. As long as she’s engaged in the act of weaving, she won’t be tempted by her desire to engage with the world outside her four walls. In this sense, the “magic web” functions as a snare that keeps her desires in check. A third reference to magic appears when the Lady is in the boat and, “like some bold seër in a trance” (line 128), she sees an ominous vision of her impending death. It’s notable that magic in the poem is always negative and even dangerous, functioning either as a snare, a punishment, or an ill omen.

Veiling and Occlusion

A key motif in “The Lady of Shalott” relates to different forms of veiling, occlusion, and partial knowledge. This motif first appears in Part I, where the speaker describes the Lady’s confinement. In a suggestive phrase, the speaker says that “the silent isle imbowers” (line 17) the Lady, meaning that the island both shelters and conceals her. The speaker further emphasizes her concealment when noting how it’s only the men who seasonally harvest grain on the island that “hath seen her wave her hand” (line 24) from her window. But their obscured view of the Lady leads them to think of her not as a human but as a “fairy” (line 35). Just as the Lady remains concealed from the outside world, her view of the world is also occluded. Her only way to look out is through the mirror above her loom, which reflects mere “shadows of the world” (line 48). In addition to these explicitly visual examples of veiling and occlusion, it’s notable that the curse hanging over the Lady isn’t fully transparent to her. Nor is she fully aware of her awakening desire, which the curse is arguably meant to guard against. The consequences of this obscurity are ultimately tragic.

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