1. Introduction This paper will try to analyze the growth of consciousness of the Lady of Shalott. Ranging from her state of mind in total isolation, her ‘childhood’, to her changing ‘adolescence’ and eventually reaching ‘adulthood’ and death, all in a sort of quick-motion. It will further deal with the development of tension throughout the poem. By making a distinction between tension through formal aspects, such as rhyme scheme, and tension through content it will try …showed first 75 words of 1640 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1640 total…back of your head after reading Tennyson’s poem. Even today you can feel the infinite struggle the Lady of Shalott had to undergo. Tennyson impressively shows the development of a young woman who is faced with one of the most difficult times in life- growing up in a world full of restrictions and rules and becoming a woman. His subtle description of a girls problems at his time is, slightly altered, even valid today.