Reader-Text Interaction and Gadamer's Hermeneutical Circle: Formation ofMeaning in Tennyson's The Lady of Shalott

This research paper explores Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “The Lady of Shalott” through the lens of Hans-Georg Gadamer's hermeneutic circle and counts the major elements that influence the reader’s interpretation in the circular interpretive journey. By applying Gadamer’s perspective, which emphasizes the cyclical relationship between the whole and the parts of a text, this study examines how the poem's structural and thematic elements contribute to its meaning. The paper investigates the interplay between the poem's language and symbolism, existential themes, and intertextuality in shaping the reader’s understanding of the poem. Through Gadamer's framework, this study provides a comprehensible analysis of the implicit themes of “The Lady of Shalott” to reveal deeper insights into its poetic complexities.

Keywords:

The Lady of Shalott , Tennyson , Gadamer , Hermeneutical circle , Victorian age