Percy Bysshe Shelley Flashcards
(10 cards)
Q: What were Shelley’s main political beliefs?
A: Shelley supported freedom, equality, and reason. Influenced by the Enlightenment and French Revolution, he opposed monarchy and organised religion, believing society should be just, compassionate, and fair.
Q: Why is Shelley’s atheism important?
A: Shelley’s open atheism was shocking at the time. He was expelled from Oxford for writing The Necessity of Atheism. For him, rejecting religion was part of fighting oppression and encouraging free thinking.
Q: How does Queen Mab show Shelley’s radical views?
A: Queen Mab attacks war, kings, and religion, imagining a better world built on reason and justice. It shows Shelley’s belief that poetry could inspire people to challenge injustice and imagine a freer future.
Q: How did Shelley’s relationship with Mary Godwin link to feminism?
A: Mary was the daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft, a key feminist thinker. Shelley shared her ideas about gender equality and freedom in relationships, criticising marriage as a way of controlling women.
Q: How did Shelley respond to the Peterloo Massacre?
A: After the killing of peaceful protesters in 1819, Shelley wrote The Mask of Anarchy. The poem attacks the government and urges people to resist oppression peacefully and bravely.
Q1: What is the main theme of Lines: The Cold Earth Slept Below?
Q2: How does this poem reflect Shelley’s personal life?
A1: The poem deals with grief and loss after the death of Shelley’s child. It shows deep sorrow but also hopes for peace and comfort.
A2: It expresses Shelley’s heartbreak over losing his daughter Clara and Mary’s depression afterward.
Q1: What feelings does Shelley express in Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples?
Q2: How does this poem connect to Shelley’s political beliefs?
A1; Shelley feels sadness and loneliness, despite being in a beautiful place. It shows his inner despair and distance from Mary.
A2: The poem’s sadness mirrors Shelley’s frustration with political failure and personal troubles.
Q1: What is Shelley asking in The Question?
Q2: How does this poem relate to Shelley’s hope for change?
A1: Shelley wonders if beauty and truth really matter when life is so full of pain and injustice.
A2: It shows his struggle but also his belief that beauty and kindness can help make the world better.
Q1: What does Shelley want from the West Wind in Ode to the West Wind?
Q2: How does this poem reflect Shelley’s beliefs about nature and change?
A1: He asks the wind to carry his words and ideas like seeds, to bring change and inspire people.
A2: Shelley sees nature as a powerful force for renewal and revolution, not as a religious symbol but as a natural power.
