Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley: A Biography
Full Name and Common Aliases
Percy Bysshe Shelley was a renowned English Romantic poet. He is often referred to simply as Shelley. His name is synonymous with the Romantic movement, and he is frequently mentioned alongside other literary giants of his time.
Birth and Death Dates
Percy Bysshe Shelley was born on August 4, 1792, in Horsham, Sussex, England. His life, though brief, was marked by intense creativity and intellectual exploration. Shelley met an untimely death on July 8, 1822, when he drowned in a sudden storm while sailing off the coast of Italy.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Shelley was English by nationality. He was primarily known as a poet, but his contributions extended beyond poetry. He was also an essayist, playwright, and philosopher, whose works often challenged the social and political norms of his time.
Early Life and Background
Percy Bysshe Shelley was born into a wealthy and influential family. His father, Sir Timothy Shelley, was a Member of Parliament, which afforded Percy a privileged upbringing. He attended the prestigious Eton College, where he developed a reputation for being rebellious and imaginative. Shelley's early education was marked by a fascination with science and the supernatural, interests that would later permeate his literary works.
In 1810, Shelley enrolled at University College, Oxford, where he continued to cultivate his radical ideas. However, his time at Oxford was short-lived. In 1811, he was expelled for co-authoring a pamphlet titled "The Necessity of Atheism," which challenged religious orthodoxy and provoked controversy.
Major Accomplishments
Despite his expulsion from Oxford, Shelley continued to write prolifically. His early works, such as "Queen Mab" (1813), showcased his revolutionary spirit and his commitment to social justice. Shelley's poetry often addressed themes of political reform, personal freedom, and the power of the human imagination.
Shelley's personal life was as tumultuous as his literary career. He eloped with Harriet Westbrook in 1811, but the marriage was fraught with difficulties. In 1814, Shelley fell in love with Mary Godwin, the daughter of the philosopher William Godwin and the feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft. The couple married in 1816, after the tragic death of Harriet.
Notable Works or Actions
Shelley's literary output was both vast and varied. Among his most celebrated works are the lyrical drama "Prometheus Unbound" (1820), the elegy "Adonais" (1821), and the epic poem "The Revolt of Islam" (1818). His shorter poems, such as "Ozymandias," "Ode to the West Wind," and "To a Skylark," are considered masterpieces of English literature.
Shelley's prose works, including "A Defence of Poetry" (written in 1821, published posthumously in 1840), articulate his belief in the transformative power of art and the poet's role as a visionary.
Impact and Legacy
Percy Bysshe Shelley's influence extends far beyond his lifetime. His radical ideas and innovative use of language have inspired generations of writers, thinkers, and activists. Shelley's commitment to social and political change, as well as his exploration of the human condition, resonate with readers to this day.
Shelley's legacy is also intertwined with that of his wife, Mary Shelley, the author of "Frankenstein." Together, they formed a literary partnership that left an indelible mark on the Romantic movement.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Shelley is widely quoted and remembered for his profound insights into the human experience and his eloquent expression of universal themes. His poetry captures the beauty and complexity of nature, the struggle for personal and political freedom, and the enduring power of hope and imagination.
Shelley's words continue to inspire because they challenge us to envision a better world and to recognize the potential for change within ourselves. His belief in the transformative power of art and the enduring spirit of humanity ensures that his voice remains relevant and resonant in the modern world.
Quotes by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley's insights on:
Love withers under constraints: its very essence is liberty: it is compatible neighs with obedience. jealousy, nor fear.
Away, away, from men and towns, / To the wildwood and the downs, — / To the silent wilderness, / Where the soul need not repress its music.”
Teach me half the gladness / That thy brain must know, / Such harmonious madness / From my lips would flow / The world should listen then—as I am listening now.
Such hope, as is the sick despair of good, / Such fear, as is the certainty of ill, / Such doubt, as is pale Expectation’s food / Turned while she tastes to poison, when the will / Is powerless, and the spirit...
There is no real wealth but the labor of man. Were the mountains of gold and the valleys of silver, the world would not be one grain of corn richer; not one comfort would be added to the human race.
A man to be greatly good must imagine intensely and comprehensively; he must himself in the place of another and in many others; the pains and pleasures of his species must become his own.
Then black despair, / The shadows of a starless night, was thrown / Over the world in which I moved alone.
There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been.
He gave man speech, and speech created thought, / Which is the measure of the universe.