Page 175 - DENG105_ELECTIVE_ENGLISH_II

Elective English–II Gowher Ahmad Naik, Lovely Professional University

Notes
Unit 14: Ode to the West Wind
by PB Shelley: Detailed Study

CONTENTS
Objectives

Introduction
14.1 Detailed Explanations-Ode to the West Wind
14.2 Examples of Figures of Speech and Rhetorical Devices

14.3 Structure and Rhyme Scheme
14.4 Meter
14.5 Theme and Historical Background

14.6 Summary
14.7 Keywords
14.8 Review Questions
14.9 Further Readings

Objectives

After reading this unit, you will be able to:
• Discuss the themes of the poem Ode to the West Wind;

• Explain each line of the poem Ode to the West Wind.

Introduction

Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote “Ode to the West Wind” in 1819 while living in Florence, Italy. To
be exact, when he published the poem with his unperformable play Prometheus Unbound in
1820, he claimed in a footnote to have written “Ode to the West Wind” while sitting in the
woods near the Arno River on a windy day in October. Lucky man, we say, but although he
loved Italy, he was feeling depressed about being detached from the political and social scene
back in his native England. Many critics have suggested that this poem relates to that sense
of powerlessness.
As a political, religious, and literary radical, Shelley was heavily invested in his own ability
to influence society. Some poets need solitude and privacy and a retreat in the woods to do
their best work, but Shelley needed stimulating arguments and social action. “Ode to the West
Wind” is one of the poems in which he considers the role and power of the poet or philosopher
to spread new ideas and effect change. It’s also, though you might find this difficult to believe,
one of Shelley’s more accessible poems. Its brevity, smooth tone, and straightforward use of
natural imagery present his abstract ideas about philosophy and poetry in a compact way.
Think of it as Shelley’s own summary of himself—or at least one aspect of himself.

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