Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) was a major English Romantic poet and a radical not only in his work but also in his political and social views. Time has elevated his work, acclaimed for imagery, form, and the complexity of its ideals. His best-known works include “Ode to the West Wind,” “To a Skylark,” and the political ballad “The Mask of Anarchy.” In a life marked by crises, ill health, and a backlash against his defiance of convention, he sought solace as an exile in Italy. His second wife, Mary Shelley, was the author of the famous horror story Frankenstein.
Portrait by Amelia Curran, oil on canvas, 1819. Licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0, © National Portrait Gallery, London.
WORKS THAT HAVE APPEARED IN NARRATIVE:
- The Call of the Open, poetry, in Poems of the Week: 2021–2022