The Lady Elaine
The Lady of Shallot

The Lady Elaine is also known as the famed Lady of Shallot. No other individual has been such as popular subject by Pre-Rafealite painters including John William Waterhouse (himself painting Elaine three times). The story of Elaine is romantic as well as tragic which is probably why she is so dearly loved.

The meaning of Elaine is "Lily Maid". She was thought to be the daughter of one of the three listed below:


As with the Lady Igraine, the general story behind Elaine remains consistant. Elaine was the wife (or Lady) of Sir Lancelot du Lac. In some accounts, she is the mother of Galahad who was Lancelot reborn as the "son", and some say the mother of King Ban (also Lancelot's son).

Regardless of who she mothered, the tragedy of Elaine is the same. Elaine loved Lancelot with all of her heart and soul. A pure love that some say Lancelot did not deserve. When Elaine was made aware of the affair between Guenivere and Lancelot, she died of a broken heart.

Hearing this, King Arthur had her body brought to Camelot by way of the River Thames on a boat. It is from this that the image of the Lady of Shallot is taken. The last stanza of Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem The Lady of Shallot summerizes the tragedy of Elaine.

Who is this? And what is here?
And in the lighted palace near
Died the sound of Royal cheer;
And they cross'd themselves for fear,
And all the knights at Camelot.
But Lancelot mused a little space;
He said "She has a lovely face;
God in His mercy loved her grace,
The Lady of Shallott.

Mythologically, Elaine was one of the Celtic Virgin Moon Goddess. She was associated with Greece's Helen of Troy. She was said to have given Lancelot her sexual charm (and in more tame stories a piece of her sleeve) to make him undefeatable in battle. Within her castle, the womb symbol of the Holy Grail was displayed.

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The Lady of Shallot painting by J.W. Waterhouse.
The Lady of Shallot background by Rowan Sterling.

Sources include: The Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets by Barbara Walker
The Arthurian Encyclopediaby Ronan Coghlan

Actual article is copyrighted by Rowan Sterling 1998 (do not reproduce without permission.)

This is an educational essay. No copyright infringements intended or implied.