Bulfinch’s Mythology · Chapter
X: The Lady of Shalott explained
King Arthur proclaims a tournament at Winchester.
What happens
King Arthur proclaims a tournament at Winchester. Sir Launcelot, feigning illness, stays behind and travels in disguise to attend. He stays at the castle of Shalott, where the lord's daughter falls hopelessly in love with him. Launcelot, already devoted to Queen Guenever, politely declines her affections but accepts her scarf as a favor for the tournament. At the tournament, Launcelot fights incognito, defeating several knights including his own brother Sir Hector, who wounds him. He recovers at Shalott, then departs, leaving the Lady of Shalott heartbroken. She later sets herself adrift in a boat and dies of grief, floating to Camelot where her body and a letter explaining her love for Launcelot are discovered.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Transformation
The Lady of Shalott's unrequited love for Launcelot leads to her emotional and physical decline, culminating in her tragic death.
Heroism and the Quest
Launcelot's participation in the tournament incognito and his feats of arms demonstrate his heroic prowess, while the knights' quest to find him reflects the chivalric ideal.
Characters to notice
- King Arthur
Proclaims the tournament at Winchester and later discovers the Lady of Shalott's body.
- Sir Launcelot
Disguises himself as an old knight to attend the tournament, wears the Lady of Shalott's scarf, fights incognito, and is wounded by his brother Sir Hector.
- Queen Guenever
Launcelot communicates his plan to attend the tournament in disguise to her.
- Sir Gawain
Observes Launcelot in disguise from a castle window alongside Arthur.
- Sir Bohort
Overthrown by Launcelot at the tournament; later joins the quest to find Launcelot.
- Sir Lionel
Overthrown by Launcelot at the tournament; later discovers the Lady of Shalott's body with Arthur.
Key passages
“Sir Launcelot, under pretence of indisposition, remained behind also. His intention was to attend the tournament in disguise; and having communicated his project to Guenever, he mounted his horse, set off without any attendant, and, counterfeiting the feebleness of age, took the most unfrequented road to Winchester, and passed unnoticed as an old knight who was going to be a spectator of the sports.”
Launcelot pretended to be sick so he could stay behind, then told Guenever his plan to go to the tournament in disguise. He rode alone, acting like a feeble old man, and took a remote path to Winchester so no one would recognize him.
Launcelot's clever ruse to attend the tournament incognito.
“The young lady, after vainly attempting to detain him by her tears and solicitations, saw him depart without leaving her any ground for hope.”
The Lady of Shalott tried in vain to make Launcelot stay, crying and pleading, but he left her with no hope.
The Lady's desperate but unsuccessful attempt to keep Launcelot with her.
“She left the castle, and descending to the river's brink placed herself in a boat, which she loosed from its moorings, and suffered to bear her down the current toward Camelot.”
She went down to the river, got into a boat, untied it, and let the current carry her toward Camelot.
The Lady of Shalott's fatal journey down the river.