The Lady of The Tower

I believe ‘The Lady of Shalott’ by Tennyson was influenced by Scott’s ‘Lady of The Lake’.

Most reference the Lady Shalott’s connection with an older King Arthur book, ‘Le Morte De Arthur’ by Malory (1480s). However both Tennyson and Scott have their heroine’s in towers north of Camelot, surrounded by water. Neither are the Lady of the Lake from the Malory tradition, but are certainly related. In Scott’s case he literally titled the book ‘Lady of the Lake’, but like the Lady of Shalott she is isolated and does not seem to be related to Excalibur, the sword the Lady of the Lake is supposed to hold for the immortal defender of England (Albion). Scott’s heroine was named Ellen Douglas; and Tennyson’s heroine was named Elaine, from the Malory King Arthur takes and the legend of Elaine of Astolat, as recounted in a 13th-century Italian novellina titled ‘La Damigella di Scalot’.

In both ‘Lady of the Tower’ stories by Scott and Tennyson the main tragic romantic action takes place within a day. Bother are similar to the fairy tale of Rapunzel, the lady trapped in a tower by her mother for moral and psycho-social reasons; except that Rapunzel gets rescued by a man who according to society would put her in a tower again, as was the tradition with lords and ladies.

[more later]

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