Throughout history, women have often been portrayed in art as objects to be admired for their beauty and charm, but rarely to be acknowledged as artists themselves. Historically, the role of women was as mother and wife, a demanding charge that left little room for other pursuits. In "The Lady of Shalott" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" by Adrienne Riche and "The Three Emilys" by Margaret Livesay, the contrasting images of freedom and constraint contribute to the theme of women struggling for recognition in an oppressive world. All the poems explore the idea of art as a publication of self, that is, an expression of the artist as an individual amidst a society where women are often defined entirely by their gender.
             All the poems place women in a tragic position, torn between the loneliness of artistic vision and a society that will only accept them in the strict domestic role. "The Three Emilys" and "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" were written in the 1950s, an era in which, despite increasing rights and liberalities being established, a woman's place was still very much in the home. "The Lady of Shalott," written in 1842, reflects many of the Victorian ideals about a woman's place in the world. The Lady herself represents many of the qualities associated with proper femininity: she is obedient, virginal, humble, and dedicated to her womanly task of weaving, an art form more often associated with decoration than with true artistic merit.
             The Lady of Shalott is both physically and psychologically isolated from the rest of the world, demonstrating the loneliness of a life dedicated utterly to art. Untouched by man, and separate from society and feminine responsibility, her art flourishes. The Lady's innocence and idealistic vision allow her art to take form. She is much like the unopened water lily that appears in the first stanza, pro...