Percy Bysshe Shelley

By

‘Ode to West Wind’ is a poem by P. B. Shelley. It was published in 1820. The Ode is a passionate invocation to the spirit of the West Wind, both ‘Destroyer and Preserver’. Shelley's minute observations of wind, water, wood, cloud and sky combine imagery which is simultaneously scientific, mythical and even biblical. The total effect is one of transcendent hope and energy achieved through suffering and despair.

O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being, Thou from whose unseen presence the leaves dead Are driven like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing, Yellow and black and pale and hectic red,

Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O Thou, Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed The winged seeds where they lie cold and low,

In these lines of the poem, the poet begins to define the powers of the West Wind. The autumn breeze scatters dead leaves and seeds on the forest soil where they eventually fertilize the earth and take root as new growth.These lines suggest that like a sorcerer might frighten away spirits or ghosts, the wind scatters leaves. The colours named here might indicate the different shades of the leaves but it is also possible to interpret the leaves as symbols of humanity’s dying masses. The phrase “Each like a corpse within its grave” indicates that each person takes part in the natural cycle of life and death.

The West Wind carries the seeds with wing-like devices down to the ground where those remain dormant. During spring, when the warm and gentle East wind blows across the land, the seeds shooting forth from the ground will grow into plants.

Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth and fill (Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air) With living hues and odours plain and hill: Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere; Destroyer and Preserver hear, O hear!

Here, Shelley seems to have a very swift vision of the spring. He sees that just as with the onset of spring shepherds go out with their flocks of sheep for tending on the green field, the gentle breeze similarly causes the buds to bloom and carry the fragrances from one place to another.

The West Wind moves with a The West Wind moves with a terrific force and destroy all that terrific force and destroy all that stand in its way. But it takes care stand in its way. But it takes care to preserve the seeds under the to preserve the seeds under the soil so as to ensure a soil so as to ensure a regeneration in the world of regeneration in the world of nature with the advent of the nature with the advent of the spring. In this way, the West spring. In this way, the West Wind becomes both a “destroyer Wind becomes both a “destroyer and preserver”. and preserver”.

Thou on whose stream, 'mid the steep sky's commotion,Loose clouds like Earth's decaying leaves are shed,Shook from the tangled boughs of Heaven and Ocean,Angels of rain and lightning: there are spreadOn the blue surface of thine airy surge,

II

In this stanza the poet depicts the impact of the wind on the sky. Shelley imagines that the West Wind moves along with all its might just as the stream of a river. In so doing it forces accumulated clouds—right from the surface of the ocean up to the sky—to disintegrate. The wind performs this kind of function by forcing the clouds to scatter just as it forces the leaves of the trees to fall off. Shelley may be referring to the scientific fact that clouds are created in the sky due to the evaporation of water from the surface of the water bodies on earth. But in the context of the poem, he must have observed the clouds to have been accumulated right from the surface of the ocean up to the great heights of the sky. That is why he imagines the clouds as the inter-connected boughs of the ocean and the sky and addresses them as “angels of rain and lightning” because they indicate that rain and lightning are approaching soon .

The scattered clouds are compared to the uplifted hair of some fierce Maenad in her frenzy of worshipping Bacchus. They are represented as locks of the approaching storm. When Shelley visited Florence, he set eyes on a relief sculpture of four maenads. These worshippers of the Roman god of wine and vegetation, Bacchus (in Greek mythology, Dionysus) were wild, dancing women with streaming hair.

Like the bright hair uplifted from the headOf some fierce Maenad, even from the dim vergeOf the horizon to the zenith's height,The locks of the approaching storm

Thou dirge

Of the dying year, to which this closing nightWill be the dome of a vast sepulchreVaulted with all thy congregated might

Of vapors, from whose solid atmosphereBlack rain and fire and hail will burst: O hear!

Autumn is the season which stands just before winter Autumn is the season which stands just before winter at the end of which a year closes. So before the coming at the end of which a year closes. So before the coming of winter, West Wind passes over earth destroying the of winter, West Wind passes over earth destroying the old degenerate things and making horrible sounds. old degenerate things and making horrible sounds. The howling of the wind is imagined by the poet to be The howling of the wind is imagined by the poet to be the funeral song for the closing year. the funeral song for the closing year.

By the expression “the dome of a vast sepulchre” Shelley refers to the By the expression “the dome of a vast sepulchre” Shelley refers to the closing night which will serve as the dome of a vast tomb in which the closing night which will serve as the dome of a vast tomb in which the closing year will be buried. The accumulated water vapors i.e. clouds closing year will be buried. The accumulated water vapors i.e. clouds also make the roof over the dying year and the atmosphere seems to also make the roof over the dying year and the atmosphere seems to be solid because of thick layers of dense clouds. The point is that be solid because of thick layers of dense clouds. The point is that Wind operates with the same and single point agenda: it destroys the Wind operates with the same and single point agenda: it destroys the dead and preserves the living.dead and preserves the living.

Thou who didst waken from his summer dreamsThe blue Mediterranean, where he lay,Lulled by the coil of his crystalline streams,

Beside a pumice isle in Baiae's bay,And saw in sleep old palaces and towersQuivering within the wave's intenser day,

III

In the third stanza, the poet describes the effects of the West Wind In the third stanza, the poet describes the effects of the West Wind on the sea. Shelley has personified the Mediterranean which on the sea. Shelley has personified the Mediterranean which perhaps in its sleep is dreaming of destruction of the palaces. perhaps in its sleep is dreaming of destruction of the palaces. During summer, the Mediterranean, the Roman palaces and the During summer, the Mediterranean, the Roman palaces and the towers which remain submerged are all quiet as if they seem to be towers which remain submerged are all quiet as if they seem to be sleeping because no storms appear to ruffle the surface of the sea sleeping because no storms appear to ruffle the surface of the sea in that season. But the wind agitates the sea and the palaces seem in that season. But the wind agitates the sea and the palaces seem to quiver due to the tremendous motion of the waves.to quiver due to the tremendous motion of the waves.The old Italian town of Baiae was once a playground of Roman The old Italian town of Baiae was once a playground of Roman emperors . emperors . Baiae sank as a result of volcanic activity .Baiae sank as a result of volcanic activity .The poet hopes for political change in Italy for the collapse of the The poet hopes for political change in Italy for the collapse of the kings and kingdoms. He has tried to convey the need of a political kings and kingdoms. He has tried to convey the need of a political change. The old palaces and towers symbolize corrupt, degenerate change. The old palaces and towers symbolize corrupt, degenerate and old power, old order and institutions. All these should be and old power, old order and institutions. All these should be destroyed.destroyed.

All overgrown with azure moss and flowersSo sweet, the sense faints picturing them! ThouFor whose path the Atlantic's level powersCleave themselves into chasms.

When the West Wind blows over the Atlantic , the waves rise high on both sides as if dividing its water into two parts. It seems that the sea is preparing a passage for the West Wind to blow causing no damage.

Baiae is now the bed of beautiful flowers and underwater garden. The beauty of the underwater garden is so overpowering that one would faint on seeing such Beauty.

Under the Atlantic waters the lush sea foliage, is "sapless" because the plants are underwater. It is aware of the wind's ability to destroy. remembering the havoc of cold weather storms, the vegetation is drained of color, as a person turns pale with fear, or as plant life on Earth fades in the autumn. The natural cycles of death and regeneration thus continue even underwater, with the aid of the West Wind

While far belowThe sea-blooms and the oozy woods which wearThe sapless foliage of the ocean, know

Thy voice, and suddenly grow grey with fear,And tremble and despoil themselves: O hear!

If I were a dead leaf thou mightiest bear;If I were a swift cloud to fly with thee;A wave to pant beneath thy power, and shareThe impulse of thy strength, only less freeThan thou, O Uncontrollable!

IV

The poet wishes to be a leaf to experience the wind’s power, a cloud to experience the wind’s swiftness or a wave to share its strength. He knows that the wind is the mightiest as it is uncontrollable. He also wants to enjoy the freedom. Thus, he identifies himself with the wind.

If evenI were as in my boyhood, and could beThe comrade of thy wanderings over Heaven,As then, when to outstrip thy skiey speedScarce seemed a vision; I would ne'er have strivenAs thus with thee in prayer in my sore need.

The poet compares his youthful energy with that of the wind. In his youth he used to be very fast. If he had been the same young boy he would have defeated the wind. Now he has become older and does not have the same strength. Therefore , he cannot even imagine that he would challenge the wind. During this time Percy Bysshe Shelley was writing this poem, he was in a great deal of emotion pain from the loss of his son (Charles). He was in distress and he is praying to West Wind.

Oh! lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud!I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed!A heavy weight of hours has chained and bowedOne too like thee: tameless, and swift, and proud.

Here, he appeals to the West Wind to lift him. This means that he wants his spiritual upliftment.He no longer possesses his former vigour as the misfortunes have crushed him. He is in a miserable condition. He expresses his sorrow and wants the wind to help him. He wants to be blessed with the wind’s freedom, swiftness and pride.

Make me thy lyre, even as the forest is:What if my leaves are falling like its own!The tumult of thy mighty harmoniesWill take from both a deep, autumnal tone,Sweet though in sadness.

The poet tries to show that he is in nature. He also wants his poetry be considered a part of the nature. He appeals to the West Wind to treat him as a lyre (a musical instrument) and to blow on him just as it blows on the forest. Like the forest, he too is passing through the autumn of his life. He wants the wind to be the creator of sound. The wind blowing on him would produce sad but sweet music.‘My leaves’ refers to his poems and his thoughts which he feels have become old.

Be thou, Spirit fierce,Be thou, Spirit fierce,My spirit! Be thou me, impetuous one!My spirit! Be thou me, impetuous one!

Drive my dead thoughts over the universeDrive my dead thoughts over the universeLike withered leaves to quicken a new Like withered leaves to quicken a new birth!birth!

He addresses the West Wind as a fierce and impetuous spirit. He appeals to it to become one with him to and merge with him. Shelley wants to use the wind to represent a force in the world that will be able to spread his thoughts to the world. He wishes it to scatter his thoughts as the wind scatters leaves, clouds and waves. The new thoughts would generate if his old thoughts are destroyed just as the old leaves are destroyed and give birth to the new ones.

As a breeze might ignite sparks the poet wants his thoughts to be scattered all over the world uninterrupted. He wants the wind to be his messenger and convey his message ‘ If Winter comes can Spring be far behind?’ He wants the wind to be the poet-prophet of the new season of renewal. It means that misfortunes and sorrows do not last forever. Sorrows are followed by joys just as winter is followed by spring.

And, by the incantation of this verse,And, by the incantation of this verse,Scatter, as from an unextinguished hearthScatter, as from an unextinguished hearthAshes and sparks, my words among mankind!Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind!Be through my lips to unawakened EarthBe through my lips to unawakened EarthThe trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?