Litsy

The Lady of the Lake: A Poem | Sir Walter Scott

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿What are your thoughts on the second half of the poem/the poem overall?
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿What is added to this story by telling it in verse form rather than in prose?
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Are you interested in reading more poetry by Sir Walter Scott, or interested in exploring his fiction?

Reminder: next week, we‘ll begin Volume 2 of the Complete Journals! I‘ll repost the schedule in a bit.

rubyslippersreads, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

BarbaraJean Although the second half moved faster for me than the first, I was still impatient with it being told in verse! I wanted more character development and less flowery wording. But I could see the verse form suiting this type of story well—especially with the bard/minstrel as a character! I tried to listen to an audio version, because I thought I‘d enjoy actually hearing the rhythm and rhyme, but I didn't find a version I liked. ⬇ (edited) 6mo

BarbaraJean (Cont'd) I found this helpful re: the form of the poem, especially how Scott uses different meter:
http://fiddlrts.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-lady-of-lake-by-sir-walter-scott.html
There‘s also some interesting discussion of the poem's impact.

I‘m definitely interested in exploring Scott‘s fiction. I have a copy of Waverley on my TBR shelf, purchased when I visited Stirling Castle (in 1999!). And I‘ve always been curious to read Ivanhoe. Someday! ⬇ 6mo

BarbaraJean (Cont'd) Side note: I thought it was interesting that I sympathized more with James V & Douglas than with Clan Alpine & Roderick Dhu. I usually identify more with the underdog/outsider—so this was a reversal for me. But Roderick is portrayed as bloodthirsty, and the scenes where he calls the other clans to fight were off-putting to me. Both James V & Douglas seem to be portrayed as more honorable (Douglas refusing to take up arms against James). 6mo

See All 12 Comments

TheAromaofBooks I liked this story but really struggled with the format. I realized that reading something written in verse means I have to be very attentive the entire time - in fiction, you might be able to skim a paragraph or two and get the gist, but verse has been pared down and every word counts. Apparently not my style 😂 I also only knew (kind of) what was happening because I read the outline ahead of time. I found some of the narrative/dialogue shifts ⬇ 6mo

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) a little confusing, but maybe it goes back to that whole “I need to pay attention“ thing LOL However, I did find the story intriguing (once I realized King Arthur wasn't showing up). Also loved the random “here's Robin Hood“ reference - I've only read two of Scott's works, and Robin showed up in both, so apparently he was a fan haha

All in all, lovely language and an interesting story, but not one I'll reread. However, I can see the ⬇ 6mo

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) drama, romance, and poetry appealing to LMM, especially with her love of her Scottish heritage. 6mo

julieclair I haven‘t even started it yet. 🙁 Between houseguests and my own travels, I‘m not finding a lot of reading time this summer. But I have always wanted to read this (and Waverly, too) so I really hope to get to it. 5mo

BarbaraJean @julieclair Those are very good reasons for decreased reading time! Hope you enjoy all your summer plans, and if you're able to get back to Lady of the Lake at some point, I'd love to hear your thoughts. And maybe we can work Waverly into the schedule later on--I wonder if LMM mentions reading any of Scott's fiction? Or maybe @TheAromaofBooks would want to add it as a #RandomClassic read sometime 😁 5mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks I'm glad it wasn't just me struggling to get into the poetry. I like poetry, but this was a lot of work 😆 The Robin Hood reference was fascinating! It felt out of place to me, but then I figured there's a lot I don't know about where all Robin Hood shows up! I hadn't realized (till reading the post I linked above) that Ivanhoe featured Robin Hood (and had a lot of influence on modern retellings). Now I need to add it to my TBR! 5mo

TheAromaofBooks So when I first read The Velvet Room as a youth, the girls in that book were reading Ivanhoe and I thought to myself that I should definitely read it... and it only took like another 30 years before I got around to it 😂 But I finally did a couple years ago and I liked but didn't love it. It's one of those classics that I found myself thinking, “I probably could have read the abridged edition“ haha but yes, the sudden advent of Robin Hood ⬇ 5mo

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) in that story totally threw me off - I had no idea he was going to show up, and he and his fellows are actually major players in the book! The story accurately reflects the (sadly) poor attitudes towards Jews at the time, which also led me down the bunny trail of learning more about how/when/why they became known as moneylenders as it's actually kind of crucial to the overall story. So yeah, it was an interesting read but I didn't LOVE it 5mo

julieclair @BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks When I do read this, I‘ll be eagerly anticipating the Robin Hood appearance! 🏹😉 5mo

28 likes12 comments

BarbaraJean

The Lady of the Lake: A Poem | Sir Walter Scott

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent Discussion

What are your thoughts on the poetry we‘ve read this week: “Intimations of Immortality” and “The Lady of the Lake” (Cantos 1-3)? Did you enjoy the reading? Why or why not?

What do you think LMM might have enjoyed about these poems?

Did you notice any ways these poems might have influenced LMM‘s writing? If so, how/in what ways?

rubyslippersreads, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

julieclair Alas, no poetry reading for me this week. 😕 Hoping to catch up with you all for Lady of the Lake next Saturday. 🤞 I have always wanted to read that! 6mo

BarbaraJean *LMM mentions both poems in volume one of the journals, if you'd like to take a look!

Lady of the Lake:
Nov. 4, 1892 - she recites a selection at a Literary Society meeting
Jan. 14, 1900 - she discusses re-reading all of Scott's poems, and her love for Lady of the Lake as a child

Intimations: Sept. 29, 1894 and Oct. 8, 1898 - both mentions are quotes from the poem 6mo

BarbaraJean @julieclair Looking forward to having you jump in next week if you can! I've found it hard to get through Lady of the Lake, TBH. 🙃 6mo

See All 19 Comments

julieclair @BarbaraJean Thanks! 🤞🤞We‘ll see how I do! 6mo

BarbaraJean I really enjoyed “Intimations of Immortality.“ I find Wordsworth's poetry just beautiful. And its themes made me think of Anne! The “romantic“ (in both senses of the word) idea of losing our wonder and innocence as we grow up feels JUST like the poem Anne quotes (not sure in which book): “I've tried the world—it wears no more / The coloring of romance it wore.“ And then she's immediately comforted by the romance in that idea. 😆 ⬇ 6mo

BarbaraJean I can see LMM being captivated by the rich descriptive language in both poems, as well as the “romance“ of the ideas, especially in the Wordsworth. I think there's a lot of the Romantic in LMM! 6mo

CogsOfEncouragement These kinds of things are not my favorite. Interesting to read what helped form Montgomery to be the author she would become though. In one of the Anne novels, when Anne is grown, a neighbor does not care for her family because they are too “romantic“ and it caused me to look up the definition. Being immersed in these kinds of things instead of gothic novels or something else makes a difference for sure. 6mo

TheAromaofBooks I've only gotten through the first canto of The Lady of the Lake. I actually just looked up a character list/synopsis because I was feeling kind of lost. I think knowing the basic outline of the story will help me enjoy the poetry aspect more.

Wordsworth's poem is really lovely. I'm not much of a poetry person myself, but there are some delightful phrases. I can definitely see both of these pieces being something that LMM would love. Nature ⬇ 6mo

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) drama, and romance - definitely seems like her wheelhouse haha

By the way, is The Lady of Shalott on our list? Isn't that the poem Anne quotes as she floats in the boat? Somehow I've never read that one, either. Probably because I'm not much of a poetry person 😂 6mo

BarbaraJean @CogsOfEncouragement I understand! I think you're right that being immersed in this type of literature makes a difference. That type of romantic sensibility definitely comes out in so many of LMM's characters. 6mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks I did the same thing with looking up a summary! I couldn't keep track of who was who in relation to everyone else. And I kept getting impatient for Scott to get through all the description so I could figure out what the story was about! And yes--The Lady of Shalott is on our list! I always get it mixed up with Lancelot & Elaine, which is the one they act out & Anne quotes in the boat scene. Lancelot & Elaine is on the list, too! ⬇ 6mo

BarbaraJean I have both scheduled for late September. I don't think I've posted a schedule that far ahead yet, but currently my plan is interspersing Vol. 2 of the journals with Green Gables, Avonlea, Story Girl, and then the Tennyson (Lady of Shalott and Lancelot & Elaine). I haven't planned beyond that since I haven't ordered Vol. 3 of the journals yet. And this is all flexible if people are interested in adding something in, like we discussed last week. 6mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Okay, never mind, it IS The Lady of Shallot in the boat scene! (I did say I get the two mixed up…!) They‘re two versions of the same story, I think. By the same author. Not confusing at all. 😆 6mo

lauraisntwilder I was traveling this week and didn't get a chance to look at the poetry as I'd intended. Also, according to the tracking, the copy of LMM's journals Vol 2 that I ordered has been stuck in the same fulfillment center in Kentucky for 2 weeks. I may need to order another! 6mo

TheAromaofBooks @BarbaraJean - I actually had to look up and make sure it was The Lady of Shallot also because when I typed that in and “Tennyson“, I got two poems!! WHY 😂 But I just felt like in the movie I could hear her voice whispering, “The Lady of Shallot!“ Except then I looked it up and kept seeing “Lady of Astolat“ and began to think that maybe I had been hearing it wrong all these years 😆 6mo

BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder Oh no! I hope you‘re able to get a copy soon! 6mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks It‘s the movie that‘s throwing me off! Because it opens with Anne reciting “The Lady of Shalott” (“willows whiten, aspens quiver…”), and she also recites some lines as she drifts out into the water when they‘re acting it out (“there she weaves by night and day…”). But the book just notes that they had studied “Tennyson‘s poem.” And Jane quotes the line that Elaine “lay as though she smiled” which is not in Lady of Shalott! 6mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks (I just went down a rabbit hole and rewatched those two scenes to make sure there was no “Astolat” 😂😂) 6mo

TheAromaofBooks LOL Good to know!! I was like “of Shalot“... “Astolat“... I can see myself getting those mixed up!! 😂 (Although in fairness, I don't know if you actually pronounce Astolat is that it rhymes with Shalot, but, you know LOL) 6mo

20 likes19 comments

BarbaraJean

The Lady of the Lake: A Poem | Sir Walter Scott

Confession: I thought this poem was Arthurian. I thought the cover of this library copy was an odd choice. Then I read the Foreword, where it discusses the Highlands & Clan Macgregor, and it slowly dawned on me that this isn‘t Arthurian at all. Why didn‘t I realize this?! Rob Roy, Waverley, Sir Walter SCOTT, for crying out loud! Didn‘t LMM visit Scotland on her honeymoon because of Scott‘s writing? 🤦🏻‍♀️😆#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

rubyslippersreads, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

JazzFeathers That is an awesome cover. It would have enchanted me too 😜 6mo

willaful It would make total sense if it were! 6mo

TheAromaofBooks I haven't read this yet (or ever haha) but I also thought it was Arthurian, so you are not alone 😂 6mo

See All 6 Comments

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Glad it wasn‘t just me!! 6mo

TheAromaofBooks Do you think it's because there actually IS a Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legends? The one who gives him the sword? I'm wondering if I've just sort of muddled these two things together in my head haha 6mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Oh, absolutely! I thought that‘s what the title referred to, and was expecting the cover to depict an arm holding a sword, rising up out of a lake! It didn‘t occur to me that of course Scott‘s poem would have a Scottish historical context and have absolutely nothing to do with the Arthurian Lady of the Lake. Which is hilarious when Scottish history is the subject of most of Scott‘s other work 😂 6mo

38 likes6 comments

LitsyEvents

The Lady of the Lake | Walter Scott

Repost for @BarbaraJean

The next two weeks of the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead will focus on poetry that LMM loved and was influenced by. Join us to discuss “Intimations of Immortality” by William Wordsworth on Saturday June 29 and “The Lady of the Lake” by Sir Walter Scott on both 6/29 and 7/6. Both are in public domain. Links to some digital options are in comments on @BarbaraJean ‘s original post.
#LMMAdjacent

BarbaraJean Thanks for sharing! 6mo

32 likes1 comment

BarbaraJean

The Lady of the Lake: A Poem | Sir Walter Scott

The next two weeks of the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead will focus on poetry that LMM loved and was influenced by. Join us to discuss “Intimations of Immortality” by William Wordsworth on Saturday June 29, and “The Lady of the Lake” by Sir Walter Scott on both 6/29 and 7/6. Both are in public domain—I‘ll post links to some digital options in the comments!

#LMMAdjacent

rubyslippersreads, Daisey, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, LitsyEvents, julieclair

BarbaraJean “The Lady of the Lake“ on Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28287
“Intimations of Immortality“ on Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/intimationsofimm00wordrich/page/2/mode/2up 6mo

TheAromaofBooks Thanks for the links!!! I found a copy of Lady of the Lake, but weirdly have had trouble tracking down a volume of poetry with Intimations of Immortality. 6mo

lauraisntwilder Thanks for the links! 6mo

27 likes3 comments

AnnCrystal

Little Daylight: A Fairy Story | George MacDonald, Erick Ingraham

Yeah, this was written for those like me, the childlike!

Even as a kidult, this is still a wonderful read (reread) for me. Truly a magical story with beautiful illustrations.

AnnCrystal #littledaylightreviewedbyanncrystal 7mo

12 likes1 stack add1 comment