Closed Reading W8: Percy Bysshe Shelley


"Stanzas Written in Dejection-December 1818, near Naples "
In reading and learning about the sequence of personal tragedies surrounding this year I was drawn and felt the author’s disparity in line 20-25.
"Alas, I have nor hope nor health/Nor peace within nor calm around”
The author insinuates that it’s not only his hope that is failing him but his health. He has no peace. This could be on the account of not only dealing with the grief of losing two of his kids in a custody battle and two to sudden death, but guilt for how he abandoned his ex-wife, which caused her to commit suicide. In addition, there was no calm around him because he was ostracized and isolated for his unconventional beliefs. I’m sure there was much upheaval surrounding the death of his ex-wife. 
"Nor that content surpassing wealth/the sage in meditation found/and walked with inward glory crowned; nor fame nor power nor love nor leisure”
Here we see his dissatisfaction with his life. He is pondering his own wisdom and inwardly he sees himself as accomplished. However, he has no money, he is not recognized or regarded for his work. 

"Others I see whom these surround/smiling they live and call life pleasure: to me that cup has been dealt in another measure”
The author from inside looking out propose that every other person is carrying on with an existence of delight, while he, alone suffers in solitude. He may have concluded that they do not suffer and can live a life this life because they dare not to think for themselves.
After pursuing this text, I inferred that often, in the past and present, individuals who decline to think like the majority are regularly shunned/judged for their convictions. One can become an immediate enemy, which is unfortunate, especially if you are a writer because then your work is placed under that same scrutiny.


Shelley, Bysshe Percy. “Stanzas Written in Dejection-December 1818, near Naples” The Norton Anthology World Literature. Martin Puchner. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 398. Book.






Comments

  1. UnknownMarch 26, 2018 at 9:48 AM

    Hi Tiffany! I agree with your analysis, Shelley had seen so much suffering in his life and you picked really good lines to analyze that show just that. It seems that because of his status as a social outcast, the only available outlet for his personal grief was his work, which is why he was able to write so emotionally and evocatively. - Veronica Zesati

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