The Main Character in 'The Lady of Shalott' by Tennyson Is Thought to Be Loosely Based

The Arthurian legend

The Lady of Shalott has been linked with the legends of King Arthur and his knights.

The lady herself in 'The Lady of Shalott' by Tennyson is thought to be loosely based on Elaine of Astolat, the young woman who was in love with Sir Lancelot of Arthurian legend, as portrayed in Sir Thomas Malory's novel, Le Morte D'Arthur (‘Death of Arthur’).

Sir Lancelot was one of King Arthur’s knights of the Round Table. He was the son of King Ban of Benwick and his queen Elaine. Lancelot was in love with Queen Guinevere, the wife of King Arthur, and to avoid the problems this would bring, set off on many quests for the Holy Grail. According to some stories, including ‘The Lady of Shalott’ by Tennyson, another Elaine, who loved him, locked herself in a tower on the island of Shalott and died of a broken heart. Tennyson's tragic version of ‘The Lady of Shalott' has been the inspiration for many great works of art.

Camelot was the most famous castle in the medieval legends of King Arthur, and where, according to legend, he reigned over Britain before the Saxon conquest. At Camelot Arthur established a brilliant court made up of the bravest and best warriors in Europe, the Knights of the Round Table. Camelot was the starting point of the Quest for the Holy Grail, and by the 1200s, it became the symbol for the center of King Arthur’s world.

Camelot is an imaginary and magical place. When it is referred to in literature, it is usually situated in the south of England. Some people have suggested that if Arthur actually existed he would have needed a base for his reign. Perhaps Camelot was really Cadbury Castle, a hill fort in Somerset. Excavations show that this hill fort was worked on in the Arthurian era and was occupied by a powerful leader and his followers. Another thought is that Camelot could be the English city of Winchester.