Percy Bysshe Shelley

1. Percy Bysshe Shelley 1792 - 1822

2. Shelley’s Life… • Percy Bysshe Shelley • August 4, 1792 – July 8, 1822 • Poet • Romanticist

3. Shelley came from an aristocratic family and was sent to Oxford for a quality education • Bullied because of his small stature, Shelley came to resent authority and traditional moral values • He was kicked out of Oxford for writing a pamphlet about atheism; this dismissal permanently damaged his relationship with his father • He was convinced that “human thought and expression had the power to change life for the better”

4. He “rescued” 16 year-old Harriet Westbrook from her father by running away with her and marrying her; they wandered fro two years living on allowances from their families • Returning to London, Shelley turned to the teachings of William Godwin, adopting many of Godwin’s views about God and humanity • Fell in love with Mary Godwin (Frankenstein) and ran away to Switzerland because he felt that his loveless relationship with his wife was worse than an affair with Mary

5. Shelley invited Harriet to live with him as a sister – something she refused to do; she raised their two children alone • Mary’s sister and later Harriet both committed suicide • Mary and Percy married, but did not get custody of his children because he was an atheist

6. Percy and Mary lived away from England, frequently to avoid bill collectors; Percy had inherited a large sum of money from his father but gave it to his literary friends • He and Mary had several children (only one lived) and he continued writing • Finally settling in Italy, the Shelleys seemed to find contentment • Percy died at the age of 29 in a boating accident – drowned in a severe storm

7. His body was found 2 weeks later • Shelley’s body was cremated and buried in England when Mary returned with their remaining son

8. While Shelley did write some traditional poems, the majority of his work was controversial; his work was often banned when published and he was not popular during his lifetime • He was very anti-monarchical (no king) • He was an atheist

9. Shelley constantly dealt with lack of income, his controversial personal life, and his relationship with his family • He had difficulty remaining focused for any length of time on his poetry, working best when surrounded by other great creative minds such as Byron, Hunt, and Keats • He was not considered to be a great writer until a generation after his death

10. His Legacy… • Mary Shelley continued publishing his poetry and protecting his literary reputation • She lived in the shadow of her husband in both life and death

11. He was admired by many great poets of later generations, such as Tennyson, Browning, and Yeats • Shelley’s work is now considered worthy of recognition • He was highly praised by Wordsworth as “one of the best artists of all: I mean in workmanship of style”