The Femme Fatale and Nostalgia Concepts in "The Lady of Shalott" by Alfred Tennyson
Explore the depiction of the femme fatale and nostalgia themes in Alfred Tennyson's poem "The Lady of Shalott." The poem delves into societal attitudes towards women's sexuality in the 19th century, portraying the consequences of the protagonist acting upon her desires. Additionally, Tennyson's work is analyzed for its portrayal of escapism and temporary relief from societal issues prevalent during that era.
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The Femme Fatale and Nostalgia Concepts in The Lady of Shalott Dr. BET L ALTA ELT 208
Femme fatale characterization of women in the nineteenth century The femme fatale : a study of the early development of the concept in mid-nineteenth century poetry and painting.
The woman depicted in The Lady of Shalott is accepted as a femme fatale: a) The woman s sexuality in The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Tennyson. b) how she was punished by death for acting upon her sexual feelings.
The Lady of Shalott is depicted as dangerous because of her sexuality. The 19thcentury attitudes towards women s sexuality were that: a)it should be suppressed b) the ideal woman was pious and a virgin.
The poem shows the ideal that women should suppress their sexuality: e.g: A curse is on her if she stay / To look down to Camelot (135). The Lady of Shalott was driven by her feelings. As Camelot is where men are, the curse suggests that she cannot act upon her sexual feelings.
Her crime was to fall in love and she paid with her life. She was punished for longing for a man, which shows the ideal that women should wait while men seek.
The woman in The Lady of Shalott was turning into a femme fatale by acting on her sexuality, and was punished for it by death.
Nostalgia Tennyson offers insights into element of escapism in his poetry.
He provides temporary freedom from worry about a world which is threatened by major social problems such as: hunger disease alcoholism prostitution the urban and the industrial revolutions inhumane living conditions
Tennyson's romantic narratives provided an escape to a simpler, happier, and more exotic world that is uncontaminated by the problems of modern life.
