Commodity:
* The Curse: The Lady is trapped in her tower, effectively confined and unable to leave. This confinement is linked to a curse that ties her existence to her weaving. She is bound to her craft and cannot escape it, making her a prisoner of her own creation. This can be interpreted as her being "commodified" by her duty, her life becoming a product of her work.
* Mirror Image: The Lady observes the world through a mirror, reflecting the life outside her tower. This suggests that her view of the world is mediated and distorted, mirroring her isolation and the artificiality of her existence.
* The Tapestry: The tapestry she weaves is described as a "web" and "a dim and wondrous work," suggesting a sense of imprisonment and entrapment within her own creation. It can be argued that she is creating something beautiful, but at the cost of her own freedom and agency.
Work of Art:
* Artistic Skill: The poem emphasizes her artistic talent, describing her weaving with evocative language: "the web she weaves," "the dim and wondrous work," and "the dimness of the days." This highlights her skill as a weaver, placing her in the realm of the artist.
* Beautiful and Fragile: The Lady is portrayed as beautiful and delicate, an image that aligns with traditional notions of feminine beauty and fragility. This reinforces the idea of her as an object of admiration and contemplation, a work of art to be appreciated.
* The Song: The Lady sings a song, adding another layer of artistic expression to her character. Her music becomes a way for her to connect with the world outside, even if only through the medium of her art.
Ambiguity and Interpretation:
The poem leaves open the interpretation of whether the Lady is a victim of her own circumstances, a symbol of artistic isolation, or simply a tragically beautiful figure who is unable to reconcile her creative life with the reality outside her tower.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, Tennyson presents the Lady of Shalott as a complex and ambiguous figure. While her existence is constrained by her role as a weaver, she is also portrayed as an artist with talent and expression. The poem explores the tension between the beauty of her art and the limitations imposed on her by its creation, leaving the reader to ponder the nature of art, freedom, and the price of creativity.