What do You think about The Lady Of The Lake (2005)?
Well, to say "I read this" is being a little kind to myself. It is true that my eyes passed over all of the words, but I have never had a head for poetry and my comprehension of the poem is seriously lacking. Most of the time I had no idea what was going on and what little I understood was aided by the synopsis of each canto on wikipedia. I have discovered a major lack within my own literary understanding and hope one day to correct it, at which point I will try and read this again. And maybe then I will rate it.From what I did comprehend, it was not my favourite tale, nor what I expected in the least. (Of course, when I purchased the vintage book that said "Lady of the Lake" I knew nothing of it and was indeed expecting something more Arthurian.) The actual 'lady' does not seem to be a very large part of the story - it being more about war and treason. And the cast of characters seems immense, like trying to follow game of thrones characters.Poetically, I think the endless couplets are what primarily inhibited my comprehension. They felt too sing-song which caused my brain to settle into the rhythm, ignoring any substance. And many of the rhymes were forced or in spelling only (some, perhaps accounted for by accent, but not all, I'm sure). I read much of it aloud to stay focused and the phrases felt awkward and often made me feel like I was on a third grade reading level. (I've always counted cold readings as one of my strong suits, so that was a new feeling.) The sections where he altered the metre and rhyme pattern were refreshing and so much easier for me to follow.
—pietastic
The Lady of the Lake is a narrative poem set in the Trossachs region of Scotland. There are three main plots going at once: the constant war between the high and lowland Scots (the "Gaels" and "Saxons"), a battle between three men to win the heart of the young and alluring Ellen Douglas, and the feud and eventual rapprochement that occurs between James V (cunningly disguised and going by the alias James Fitz-James) and James Douglas. This is the first of Scott's work I've read and I'm already a huge fan. The Lady of the Lake is beautiful. Scott's emotive description is so eloquently written; he truly captures the Highlands in all its beauty. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this poem and look forward to more of Scott's work. "So wondrous wild, the whole might seemThe scenery of a fairy dream."
—Chandra
Braveheart-romantiikan lähteillä: kaikki tämä, mikä siihen aikaan (1810) oli niin uutta ja ihmeellistä - Ylämaan villi luonto, muinaiset soturisankarit ja taistelut - on nyt ultimate klisee, koska elokuvien ja kirjojen keskiaikainen soturimeininki on nimenomaan rakennettu Scottin viitoittamalle historiallisen fiktion tielle. Ihailtavan huolitellulla ja paikallisväritteisellä runokielellä kuvatut käsikähmät ovat koreografialtaan niitä kaikkein kuluneimpia, joita Monty Python voi parodioida Holy Grailissa.
—Auli
