Comparing Poor Singing Dame And The Lady Of Shallot

Portrayal of Gothic Images

When the topic of Gothic literature is discussed most readers immediately think of vampire stories, tales of horror, terror and supernatural tales, but the use of Gothic in poetry also has enhanced the images within works of poetry such as "The Poor Singing Dame" and "The Lady of Shallot". While the longer stories can elaborate upon the defining characteristics of the genre, the poet can create the same chilling fantasies with limited words as seen in the Gothic style poems.
"The Poor Singing Dame" is told in story format by an observing narrator. The narrator uses a rhyme scheme that is ABCBDEDE, therefore the third from the last, and the last line in every stanza rhyme. If one were to read it aloud it gives of a singing tone that is supposed to be a nursery rhyme for little children. Although the tone of this poem might sound sweet and innocent, it is actually a sinister poem, which contains mysterious images throughout.
Gothic characteristics appear in both "The poor singing Dame," and "The Lady of Shallot".
The intention of the author is to evoke terror from the readers, and the setting is normally one that contains darkness, which is a symbol of evil. Mary Robinson who wrote "The Poor Singing Dame" uses different literary techniques throughout the poem, and the rhyme scheme gives the reader a false connotation.
The narrator describes the two settings in The Poor Singing Dame in contrast to each other. The way the castle is and hut is depicted is opposite of what one might imagine. The huge castle is very old, and uncared for, and this description provides the reader with a dark, ominous
feeling.
In the lady Of Shallot it is described as "four grey walls, and four gray towers". The tower color gives the reader a sense of dullness portraying no hope for the Lady of Shallot.
After the Dame died in "The Poor Singing Dame", the tone of the poem (while speaking of the woman) switched from joy, to melancholy. While the flowers still grew, and "the bright dews of twilight bespangled her grave," they were honoring her life, and showing sorrow at her death. Giving human qualifications (sorrow) to inanimate objects (flowers) is called anthropomorphism. Robinson uses this technique throughout the poem in order to evoke pity from the audience. The only thing in value the Dame possessed was her songs, and now that she is gone, only the flowers mourn her.
In The lady of Shallot the tone shifts when she forsakes her dream world and looks out onto reality, thus falling in love with Lancelot.
The irony of the poem "The Poor Singing Dame" is that a person with hardly any material possessions is killed by a rich ruler because of jealousy. Envy is one of the seven deadly sins, and in a story the one who possesses it come to his death.
Gothic language is a type of prose fiction that refers to the Goths, and signifies medieval. Within poetic writing Gothic Romance develops a brooding atmosphere of gloom and terror and represents events that are dramatically violent. This is shown in both "The lady of Shallot" and "The Poor Singing Dame".