Dearest Mother,
I hope this letter finds you
well.
I would like to extend my
apologies. I deeply regret the heartaches I have caused you. I am very sorry
for making you suffer for my misdeeds. It grieves me that I am no longer there
to assist you in taking care of our family. I hope and pray that the time will
come when I will be able to see you again; you and my siblings.
I have finally arrived in
Australia! After spending three grueling months at sea, I am here.
Our voyage was fraught with
difficulties. Weather conditions were unpredictable. Sometimes, very hot; other
times, very cold. We encountered bad storms. We endured hunger and sickness due
to the shortage of food. A number of our companions died at sea. I felt very
hopeless during those times; fearing that I, too, will die at sea. But, by the
grace of God, I have survived.
Mother, I met someone here in
Australia. Her name is Heather MacMaster. She is a very delightful girl. She
gives me hope; the hope to live a prosperous life here. I love her, mother, and
I want to marry her. I hope that there will come a day when we will see each
other again, and I can introduce you to one another; the mother, who gave me
life; and the woman, who makes my life worth living.
From feeling lost and hopeless, I
am now very happy. I am looking forward to hearing from you and learning more
about what is happening there in your side of the world.
Please write to me,
mother. This is the only way I can reach you.
Your loving son,
Ben Winterhayes
The overall tone of the poem is melancholic and mysterious. Although the poem begins with descriptions of the beautiful surroundings, the sense of confinement and suppression creeps in through the language Tennyson uses:
Four gray walls, and four gray towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle imbowers
The Lady of Shalott.
The lady is a prisoner in a tower, cursed to never to clearly see the actual beauty in the world except through reflections in her mirror. When the poet tells us that “She lives with little joy or fear,” we know that she has a placid and uneventful existence. The tone of the poem leads the reader to believe that a climax is imminent. The lady says, “I am half sick of shadows,” suggesting that she is tempted to leave the tower.
The poet uses an even tone while describing the beautiful city of Camelot. The imagery creates a mood of tranquility. The melancholy tone used to depict the imprisonment of the lady changes to a tone of urgency when the curse befalls the Lady. The atmosphere of doom becomes prevalent in the poem from the moment the lady sets eyes on the outside world.
A big ethical issue in any form of communication is plagiarism. Plagiarism is the process of claiming other's work, ideas, words, or illustrations as your own. You basically just copy their ideas.
