Percy Bysshe Shelley

Percy Bysshe Shelley is generally recognized as one of the most influential writers of the Romantic Period. His work is characterized by the use of symbolism and reflected many of his radical ideas which rebelled against the English Parliament. The friendship of many of his contemporaries can also be seen through his writing. Shelley wrote exactly how he felt, and displayed his thoughts with passion, intensity, and sincerity. Some of his most famous sonnets “Ozymandias” and “England in 1819” illustrate the many characteristics that have made Shelley’s writing so prominent.

It can be said that Shelley’s rebellion began early in his life. He was born into and upper-class, aristocratic family. Shelley was educated at the famous private school of Eton, and moved on to Oxford University for college in 1810. While at Eton, Shelley stood out from the rest and was labeled as a “rebel”. He engaged himself in such things as trying to raise ghosts and performing chemical experiments. He was made fun of in school, he spent time telling stories to scare his sisters, he tried to convert his family members to atheism, and he even slept beside a loaded piston and poison (Shelley and his Age).

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Shelley’s relationships with these men greatly affected his writing.

Shelley’s sonnet “England in 1819” is a good example of his “rebellion” through his feelings on religion and the rulers of England during this time. ’ It was at

Eton that Shelley first became determined to fight against the forces of injustice and oppression in life” (542). In line eight, Shelley uses the term liberticide which is defined as the “killing of freedom” (Adventures of English Literature 545). ” The sonnet “Ozymandias” is an example of how Shelley used symbolism to define his thoughts. Perkins notes, “what does have a large place in Shelley’s poetry is a symbolism of architectural structures such as pyramids, domes, temples, obelisks, and especially towers” (182). Shelley and Byron did not always get along; however, they were open to each other’s talent (Keach 189).

An old, man, blind, despised, and dying king—

Princes, the dregs of their dull race, who flow

Through public scorn—mud from a muddy spring—

Rulers who neither see, nor feel, nor know,

But leechlike to their fainting country cling,

Till they drop, blind in blood, without a blow—

A people starved and stabbed in the untilled field—

Gilbert 3

An army, which liberticide and prey

Makes as a two-edged sword to all who wield—

Golden and sanguine laws which tempt and slay;

Religion Christless, Godless—a book sealed;

A Senate—Time’s worst statue unrepealed—

Are graves, from which a glorious Phantom may

Burst, to illuminate our tempestuous day.

This sonnet was inspired in part by Shelley’s distaste for tyranny and alludes to the modern rule of England. Near them, on the sand,

Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed:

And on the pedestal these words appear:

“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”

Nothing beside remains. These are examples of Shelley’s early rebellion against conservative values. In turn, Godwin became very interested in Shelley, and the continued their correspondence until they finally met (Winwar 97). Shelley was a great admirer of Godwin, and wrote him frequently.

Symbolism is another aspect that Shelley used to make his work unique. Newman White states, “It was not so much that his age neglected him as that it was afraid of him” (12).

Approximate Word count = 1237
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

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