The Question- Percy Byshee Shelley Flashcards
How does Shelley create an abstract, dreamlike quality?
-Other worldly tone
-Supernatural as a convention of nature
-Dreams as a foreboding element
How are seasons symbolic in the poem?
-Symbolic of change
-Ageing and time passing
What does the use of “odours” and “sound” suggest?
How this is a full body experience >body fully indulged in all the senses
What does the oratory description in the poem do?
-Personifies nature > nature as all encompassing.
What is significant about “green arms” and “kissed it”?
-Sense of intimacy of nature > loss of connection with his family so nature makes up for it
What does the personification of nature create?
-nature above God - spiritual connection with nature
What is the significance of the listing of the flowers?
-Sense of permanence in the flowers > juxtaposes the transience in humans - finds permanent stability in nature compared to his life and family
What is significant about “Like a child, Half in tenderness and mirth- It’s a mother’s face with Heaven’s collected tears”?
-Trauma of what Mother Nature faces > destruction of nature through the Industrial Revolution
-Relates to his trauma with the loss of his children
-Nature as a nurturing element
-Back to his children in his dream > surrounded by passed children > natures ability to connect the divine to humanity
-Unable to nurture his children > fixation on what he is missing
What is significant about the syndetic listing?
What is significant about the “ivy serpentine”?
-The changing path of thoughts > change in a path through life
-Biblical allusion > Adam and Eve > garden of Eden > Nature as his religion
What is explored in “wandering astray;”?
-His thoughts sometimes invading the beauty > wants to just focus on the beauty rather than his past troubles
What is significant about “There grew broad flag-flowers”?
How is the sublime portrayed?
-Fear of the great power nature holds in society due to man’s dependence > Awe of the beauty and its self sufficiency
What is signifficant about “moonlight”, “dazzled”, and “bright”?
-Motif of light = divinity
-personification > natural things beyond human intervention > destiny
What is significant about “Kept these imprisoned children of the hours”?
-Metaphor
-Seasons shift > ageing - damaging
-Stunted growth of creativity
