Arthurian Inspired Poetry and Artwork

“The Lady of Shalott”

Arthurian Inspired Poetry and Artwork

Evidence, Inference, Green Words

List 5 things that you ACTUALLY SEE in each painting.

“I am Half Sick of Shadows” Said the Lady of Shalott(1916)
John William Waterhouse / Lady of Shalott (1905)
William Holman Hunt / Lady of Shalott(1888)
John William Waterhouse
1.
2.
3.
4.
5. / 1.
2.
3.
4.
5. / 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Based on this group of paintings, what predictions can you make about the poem “The Lady of Shalott”?

Prediction / Basis for Prediction (evidence and inference)
1.
2.
3.
4. / 1.
2.
3.
4.

“Lady of Shalott” Guiding Questions

1. What mood (inference) is created by the description of the island in lines 1-18? Identify words contributing to the mood (evidence).

2. Reread lines 28-45. How does the Lady of Shalott feel about her situation? Cite evidence to support your answer.

3. Stop at line 45. How much have you learned about the speaker so far, and what has he or she told you about the Lady of Shalott?

4. Stop at line 72. Describe the pattern of repetition in the fifth and ninth lines of each stanza (groups within the painting). How does the repetition affect the mood?

5. Stop at line 72. Refer back to your notes on the painting “I Am Half Sick of Shadows,” Said the Lady of Shalott. How does your understanding of the poem so far affect what you see in the art piece? What do you see now that you didn’t see before?

6. Reread lines 73-99. List all the images of light associated with Sir Lancelot. What mood do they create?

7. How does the mood change in lines 109-117? What is your evidence for this mood change?

8. Do you see the mood change in the second Waterhouse painting? Does it match the poem? Cite evidence from the painting and the poem to support your answer.

9. Reread lines 109-126. The Lady of Shalott does not know the specifics of the curse (lines 40-42). Is it likely that her actions would be different if she knew? Why or why not? Use evidence from the poem to support your answer and give line numbers.

10. Reread lines 118-153. How do nature image and sound devices help create a tragic mood? You will first need to list the image and sound devices, and then connect these to the tragic mood.

11. What are the speaker’s feelings about the Lady of Shalott’s death? What is your evidence for this inference?

Creating Our Thesis Statement

Listen as I read the poem again. Identify green concepts present in the poem.

1. ______b. ______c. ______

Using either the “Mood” Words handout or your own mood words, choose two strong adjectives to describe the mood that that is created in poem.

1. ______b.______

1. Create an “Although…” thesis statement for the poem.

Complete the chart based on your STATEMENT

Evidence
(PROOF) / + Inference
(COMMENTARY)
This is the all-important link between your evidence and your claim (green words/mood words) / = Green Words/ Attitude Words