Percy Bysshe Shelley


Today’s article focuses on Percy Bysshe Shelley, a key figure and poet of the Romantic period. We will delve into his biography and explore some of his most renowned works. The discussion will include summaries of selected poems, followed by critical analyses.

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Percy Bysshe Shelley: Biography

Percy Bysshe Shelley Biography

Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the prominent English Romantic poets, renowned for his revolutionary views, lyrical style, and fervent advocacy for social and political change. Born on August 4, 1792, in Horsham, England, Shelley was the eldest son of Sir Timothy Shelley, a Member of Parliament, and Elizabeth Shelley, hailing from a wealthy and politically active family. 

Percy Bysshe Shelley received his education at Eton College, where he developed a love for literature and a rebellious spirit against authority. He later attended University College, Oxford, but was expelled for publishing a pamphlet that promoted atheism. Shelley’s literary expedition started in his teenage years when he printed his first poetry collection, “Original Poetry by Victor and Cazire,” with his sister. His early works were significantly influenced by Enlightenment themes and the French Revolution.

In 1811, at the age of 19, Percy Bysshe Shelley eloped with Harriet Westbrook, but their marriage was fraught with difficulties. Later on, he married Mary Godwin (later Mary Shelley), the daughter of the political philosopher William Godwin and feminist columnist Mary Wollstonecraft. In 1814, Shelley and Mary Godwin eloped and eventually married after Harriet’s suicide in 1816.

Percy Bysshe Shelley’s most renowned works include “Ozymandias,” “Ode to the West Wind,” “To a Skylark,” and “Prometheus Unbound.” He also penned the elegy “Adonais,” mourning the death of his friend John Keats. Deeply committed to political and social reform, Shelley wrote extensively on democracy, liberty, and the rights of the oppressed. His revolutionary views often led to conflicts with the authorities, resulting in his expulsion from Oxford and eventual disownment by his family.

Tragically, Percy Bysshe Shelley’s journey ended shortly when he drowned in a boating accident off the coast of Italy on July 8, 1822, at the age of 29. He was burnt on the beach near Viareggio, and his ashes were buried in the Protestant Cemetery in Rome. Despite his relatively brief life, Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poetry had a profound impact on subsequent generations of poets. He is regarded as one of the greatest lyric poets in the English language, with his works continuing to be studied and celebrated for their beauty, passion, and idealism.

Ozymandias (1818) by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Percy Bysshe Shelley Ozymandias

“Ozymandias” is a sonnet written by the renowned English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1817. The poem recounts the story of a traveler who comes across the ruins of a once-grand statue in the desert. The traveler describes the statue’s shattered visage, conveying themes of the passage of time and the decline of human achievements. Shelley delves into the themes of power, hubris, and the brevity of human existence through vivid imagery and evocative language.

The poem starts with the speaker describing a chance meeting with a traveler who narrates a gigantic statue lying broken and rotting in the desert. The pedestal of the statue bears an inscription: “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings; Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.” Despite the grandiosity of the inscription, the scene around the statue is demolished and desolate. The traveler observes that nothing lasts of the once great civilization that Ozymandias governed. The only thing left is the broken statue, half sunken in the sand, its proud proclamation of power now displayed ironically by the passage of time.

Through the imagery of the crumbling statue, Shelley conveys the theme of the impermanence of human achievements. Despite Ozymandias’s proud proclamation of his greatness, his kingdom has long since fallen into destruction, and his works have been decayed. The contrast between the grandeur of the statue and the emptiness of the surrounding desert serves as a powerful reminder of the transient nature of power and glory.

The theme of arrogance is the main to the poem. Ozymandias’s arrogance ultimately leads to his downfall. The engraving on the statue’s pedestal mirrors his belief in his unstoppability and the durability of his legacy. However, the irony lies in the fact that his kingdom has collapsed, and his once great works have been lost to the sands of time. Shelley uses the imagery of the desert to convey a sense of desolation and decay. The wide, empty expanse of sand acts as a metaphor for the passage of time and shrinks. The statue lying half-sunk in the sand further highlights the theme of transitoriness and decay.

The poem’s title, “Ozymandias,” refers to the Greek name for the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II, who ruled during the 13th century BC. By using this historical figure as the subject of his poem, Shelley creates a sense of universality. The poem suggests that the themes of power, arrogance, and mortality apply to all of humanity. In just 14 lines, Shelley creates a vivid portrait of a once-great civilization brought low by the passage of time.

Through the image of the shattered statue and the traveler’s description of the scene, Shelley conveys profound truths about the nature of power and the inevitability of decline. In terms of structure and style, “Ozymandias” follows the Petrarchan sonnet form with an irregular rhyme scheme. The poem employs vivid imagery, irony, symbolism, and a narrative voice with a straightforward style.

In conclusion, “Ozymandias” is an exploration of the themes of power, hubris, and the limitations of human existence. Through clear imagery and powerful language, Shelley creates a stirring picture of a once-great civilization that became low by the passage of time. The poem serves as a timeless reminder of the fragility of human achievements and the hubris of those who believe themselves to be invincible.

Ode to the West Wind

Percy Bysshe Shelley Ode to the West Wind

One of the defining characteristics of Romantic poetry is its focus on nature, which stands out as the most crucial element of the genre. Although John Keats is renowned for his creation of natural imagery, Shelley’s contributions are equally remarkable, as demonstrated in the line-by-line explanation of “Ode to the West Wind.”

In this poem, Shelley harnesses his imaginative powers to evoke a Romantic sensation, crafting beautiful natural paintings with words that readers can easily visualize. Undoubtedly, Shelley’s powerful imagination, akin to that of other Romantic poets, enables him to express ideas poetically. For an ode writer, it is essential to create lyrical stanzas, as odes typically express joy or glorify natural objects. Shelley’s odes are notably lyrical, earning him recognition for writing poetry with a strong lyrical structure. “Ode to the West Wind” exemplifies how his imaginative depiction of nature illustrates his capacity to compose structurally sound poetry with lyrical qualities.

In “Ode to the West Wind,” Shelley glorifies nature by personifying the wind and attributing human powers to it. The wind, as described in the poem, destroys everything during the autumn season. In literature, autumn often symbolizes themes of despair, a motif Shelley employs in his work to create a melancholic atmosphere. The poem comprises five stanzas, yet the subject matter remains consistent throughout.

Stanza One: Analysis

The poet directly addresses the West Wind, showcasing its power. In the first stanza, he describes the natural phenomenon of life’s journey from birth to death, highlighting the wind’s capabilities. Despite being invisible, the wind can scatter leaves of yellow, black, white, and red, moving them as if they were sick people. This example illustrates the wind’s role in moving leaves that cannot move spontaneously. Unlike others, Shelley presents the wind’s actions uniquely, explaining how it spreads seeds in autumn and buries them, with the seeds sprouting in spring. Although melancholic, the West Wind facilitates the growth of new plants and spreads flower fragrances. Shelley’s treatment of nature in this stanza positions it as both an inspiration and a source of natural phenomena, portraying the wind as a living entity working for society’s and humanity’s welfare.

Stanza Two: Analysis

The wind not only scatters leaves but also moves clouds across the sky. Clouds, like leaves and flowers, are helpless, without the wind. Shelley praises the beauty and role of the West Wind in moving clouds to cause rain on Earth. In this stanza, the clouds and wind appear alive, showcasing Shelley’s unique style of imbuing natural objects with life.

Stanza Three: Analysis

In this stanza, Shelley explains certain natural images, using vivid descriptions such as “blue Mediterranean,” “crystal streams,” and “pallid palaces and towers.” He imagines the wind’s presence in these areas, showing readers how they appear when the wind blows. Shelley ends each stanza with “Oh hear,” indicating his attempt to communicate with the wind as if it were a living being. His strong imagination and vivid descriptions solidify his place among the most Romantic poets in English literature.

Stanza Four: Analysis

Romantic poets often explore nature, escaping reality to find pleasure in imagination. Shelley embodies this by imagining himself in the embrace of the wind, seeking to escape life’s harsh realities. This stanza exemplifies escapism, a key characteristic of Romantic poetry, with Shelley expressing a desire to be lifted away from life’s miseries by the West Wind.

Stanza Five: Analysis

The final stanza portrays themes of melancholy and despondency, with Shelley acknowledging he cannot fly like the wind, despite wishing to do so. Nature continually attracts Romantic poets, and Shelley insists on joining the wind, even though it is impossible. He desires to remain with the West Wind until spring replaces winter. Shelley praises the wind’s destructive power, wanting to be part of it. Although the poem may not appear political or social, some critics suggest it contains elements of social change. The wind scattering seeds, leaves, and clouds symbolizes societal change, portraying destruction and change as natural laws.

Ode to a Skylark (1820) by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Ode to the Skylark

 

Addressing the skylark, the speaker proclaims it to be a “blithe Spirit” rather than just a bird, as its song emanates from Heaven and pours out “profuse strains of unpremeditated art” from its full heart. The skylark soars higher and higher, “like a cloud of fire” in the blue sky, singing as it ascends. In the “golden lightning” of the sun, it floats and runs, like an “unbodied joy.” Although the skylark flies higher and higher until it is out of sight, the speaker can still hear its “shrill delight,” descending as keenly as moonbeams in the “white dawn,” which can be felt even if not seen. The skylark’s voice fills the earth and air, much like Heaven overflows with moonbeams when the moon shines from behind “a lonely cloud.”

The speaker notes that no one truly knows what the skylark is, as it is unique: even “rainbow clouds” do not rain as brightly as the skylark’s shower of melody. It is “like a poet who is capable of giving rise to “sympathy with hopes on the planet. It is akin to a lonely maiden in a palace tower, soothing her lovelorn soul with song, a golden glow-worm scattering light among the flowers and grass in which it is hidden, or a rose enveloped in its green leaves, whose scent is blown by the wind until the bees are faint from “too much sweet.” The skylark’s song surpasses “all that ever was, / Joyous and clear and fresh,” whether it be the rain falling on the “twinkling grass” or the flowers the rain awakens.

Calling the skylark “Sprite or Bird,” the speaker implores it to reveal its “sweet thoughts,” as he has never heard anyone or anything inspire “a flood of rapture so divine.” Compared to the skylark’s song, any other music would seem inadequate. The speaker thinks about the sources of the happiness of the bird. He asserts that pain and languor “never came near” the skylark; it loves but has never known “love’s sad satiety.” Of death, the skylark must understand “things more true and deep” than individuals could think. For mortals, happiness is intertwined with sadness: pondering memories and future hopes, they “pine for what is not”; their laughter is “fraught” with “some pain”; their “sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought.” Yet, the speaker contends, even if humans could “scorn / Hate and pride and fear” and were incapable of weeping, they could never match the joy expressed by the skylark. Addressing the bird as an insulter of the ground, he declares its music better than all music and poetry. He begs the skylark to teach him “half the gladness / That thy brain must know,” so that he, filled with “harmonious madness,” could produce a song so beautiful that the world would listen to him, just as he now listens to the skylark.

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That’s all for today’s article. We hope you found our discussion on Percy Bysshe Shelley‘s beautiful poems insightful. If you enjoyed the article, please stay with BD JOBZ PREPARATION and share it with your friends. We’ll be back soon with another literary work. Stay tuned to BD JOBZ PREPARATION, and don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Thank you for reading!


S.M. Rokibul Kabir
S.M. Rokibul Kabir

S.M. Rokibul Kabir is the author of BD JOBZ PREPARATION. He is from Rajshahi, Bangladesh. He has completed Honors and Masters degrees from Rajshahi University in English. Now he is doing LLB from National University. He has been teaching English online for more than three years. His hobby is blogging.

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