Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes Tennyson's poem "The Lady of Shalott" according to Plato's philosophy of mimesis, and the deceiving nature of poetry. The paper ultimately determines Plato's philosophy to be circular in that it predetermines the interpretation of poetry.

From the Paper:

"In his philosophical texts Ion and The Republic, Plato expresses his disdain for the lack of original thought and truth in poetic expression. Giving it the label mimesis, or imitation, he dismisses poetry from his ideal State, insisting that it leads to false knowledge. It attempts to copy truths, but perverts these truths by appealing to the sensuous faculties of the mind, rather than the reasoning faculty. He concludes that poets do not create but imitate, thus their imitations do not necessarily correspond to truth. As a result of poetry's distance from truth, Plato deduces that poetry leads to the miseducation of youth, teaching them bad characteristics and habits. Ultimately, they will develop into bad citizens. Plato's philosophy of poetry, however, affects the interpretations of poems, almost forcing them to assume a negative meaning that may not necessarily exist. Alfred Tennyson's poem "The Lady of Shalott" demonstrates this change in meaning when interpreted according to Plato's philosophy, transforming the solution of the problem presented in the poem. Instead of pointing towards literature as a way to escape solitary isolation, insanity serves as the only solace from isolation. This change in the interpretation directly results from Plato's establishment of poetry as an unreliable source of truth, which further results in proving Plato's notion that poetry promotes characteristics which negatively affect the well-being of the State. In the case of the Tennyson poem, insanity presents itself as the only solution to overcoming isolation. This interpretation of the poem emerges after assuming that the poem does not aim at truth. Thus, Plato makes poetry harmful to the State through his own notion that poetry betrays truth."

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