Percy Bysshe Shelley was born into a wealthy family living in Sussex in the year 1792; and he would grow to become one of the most iconic poets of the nineteenth century. Growing up with four sisters will influence any young boy, therefore we could assume this encouraged the poet to spark inside Shelley’s mind. His poetry is filled with romantic motifs of the seasons, as well as an interest in pantheism; he also shows great admiration for the human mind. The latter will be the focus for this research; predominately the human mind affected by solitude, and Shelley’s poem “Alastor”. By delving into Shelley’s personal life, previous research, and developing ideas of my own, I hope to have a better understanding of the ambivalence of solitude,
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He was teased quite a bit for his ignorance of classic games like marbles, also for his physical appearance and personality which was described as “a girl in boy’s clothes, fighting with open hands” (Biography pg 17). Shelley decided that this was not how he wished to live his life, therefore, committed himself to a life of nobility, which Jean Overton Fuller has explained this revolt as “a form possible only to one in whom a superior soul was innate” (Biography page 17). He would go on to study at Eton, where he was also teased for his voice and laugh and submitted to practical jokesters knocking his books and grabbing his clothes as he walked by. Though he was loved by some classmates, he still felt singularity. We might assume this was the starting point of the solidarity theme mentioned in Alastor. To constantly experience the feeling of uniqueness and unable to fit in with the majority, one can understand the appeal of solitude with the thoughts running through the mind. Encountering this at an early age, it is possible for one to grow to love solitude and feel it necessary for life, especially for creative types like …show more content…
This man would become the recipient of many letters from Shelley and proceed to write Shelley’s biography. After being expelled due to an essay on Atheism, Shelley travels to Scotland and marries his first wife, Harriet Westbrook, in 1811. They had a baby girl, but Harriet refuses to breastfeed; and it is said this is when Shelley lost all love for his wife. This aside, they still have a proper marriage ceremony in Hanover Square; however, after this wedding, Harriet travels to Southampton. It is during her absence that Shelley spends time with Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin. He had written to Harriet asking for her return home, yet she did not heed his request. It was not long before Shelley and Mary confessed their love for each other and he terminated his relationship with Harriet. Over a course of time, Shelley continued correspondence with Harriet while living with Mary; and Hogg began a correspondence with Mary after meeting her for the first time. It can be speculated that the two had developed feelings for each other, which is evident in Mary’s plea for Hogg to call on her after her first baby passed away. Everyone continues with their routine; involving an excursion along the River Thames, where it is presumed Shelley composed the idea for Alastor, which was published in 1816. Being the first extensive poem since meeting Mary, it can
He was teased quite a bit for his ignorance of classic games like marbles, also for his physical appearance and personality which was described as “a girl in boy’s clothes, fighting with open hands” (Biography pg 17). Shelley decided that this was not how he wished to live his life, therefore, committed himself to a life of nobility, which Jean Overton Fuller has explained this revolt as “a form possible only to one in whom a superior soul was innate” (Biography page 17). He would go on to study at Eton, where he was also teased for his voice and laugh and submitted to practical jokesters knocking his books and grabbing his clothes as he walked by. Though he was loved by some classmates, he still felt singularity. We might assume this was the starting point of the solidarity theme mentioned in Alastor. To constantly experience the feeling of uniqueness and unable to fit in with the majority, one can understand the appeal of solitude with the thoughts running through the mind. Encountering this at an early age, it is possible for one to grow to love solitude and feel it necessary for life, especially for creative types like …show more content…
This man would become the recipient of many letters from Shelley and proceed to write Shelley’s biography. After being expelled due to an essay on Atheism, Shelley travels to Scotland and marries his first wife, Harriet Westbrook, in 1811. They had a baby girl, but Harriet refuses to breastfeed; and it is said this is when Shelley lost all love for his wife. This aside, they still have a proper marriage ceremony in Hanover Square; however, after this wedding, Harriet travels to Southampton. It is during her absence that Shelley spends time with Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin. He had written to Harriet asking for her return home, yet she did not heed his request. It was not long before Shelley and Mary confessed their love for each other and he terminated his relationship with Harriet. Over a course of time, Shelley continued correspondence with Harriet while living with Mary; and Hogg began a correspondence with Mary after meeting her for the first time. It can be speculated that the two had developed feelings for each other, which is evident in Mary’s plea for Hogg to call on her after her first baby passed away. Everyone continues with their routine; involving an excursion along the River Thames, where it is presumed Shelley composed the idea for Alastor, which was published in 1816. Being the first extensive poem since meeting Mary, it can