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Shelley's 'Ode to the West Wind' (Poetry Lecture One) (Patreon)

Published:
2021-06-23 18:15:51
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) was a second generation Romantic poet and every bit as "mad, bad, and dangerous to know" as his compadre Lord Byron.

He has been scorned in the academies for a while, though not for the outrageous details of his short life, perhaps in part due to T. S. Eliot designating Shelley as an "adolescent" poet.

I personally disagree and find Shelley's poetry enchanting and chantable, his myth-making vivid and vitalistic, and his political zeal every bit as compelling as his poetic prowess.

Treat yourself to a deep-reading of one of my personal favourite poems of all time, and a great explanation for how Shelley came to be known as the English Dante: 'Ode to the West Wind'.

We'll also begin pulling apart his 'A Defence of Poetry'.

As always, let us know what you think of the poem.

Video Timestamps:

  • 0:00 beginning with a warning
  • 1:00 why the academies scorn Shelley
  • 2:00 Lord Byron: ‘mad, bad, and dangerous to know’
  • 2:30 T. S. Eliot on the ‘adolescent’ Shelley
  • 3:00 Shelley and the ‘companion of age’
  • 3:20 Shelley the second generation Romantic
  • 3:30 why Shelley was expelled from Oxford
  • 3:45 elopement with Harriet Westbrook
  • 4:00 William Godwin of Political Justice
  • 4:15 romance with Mary of soon-to-be Frankenstein fame
  • 4:30 Harriet’s self-drowning in Hyde Park’s Serpentine
  • 5:00 the death of Shelley
  • 6:00 his unfinished masterpiece - The Triumph of Life
  • 6:30 Shelley is the closest thing to reading Dante in English
  • 7:20 if Shelley were alive today (Shelley and socialism)
  • 8:00 Shelley as Gandhi, Blake, Hume, Dante, Plato, Trotsky blend
  • 9:00 The Mask of Anarchy
  • 10:00 Shelley’s preface to the poem
  • 11:00 the etymology of sympathy and being ‘in simpatico’
  • 11:20 the one contains the many and the many contains the one
  • 11:40 Proust, Hesse, and Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey
  • 13:00 sympathy between body and soul
  • 13:30 Frazer’s Golden Bough and the magic of primitive man
  • 15:00 ‘Ode to the West Wind’ begins
  • 16:30 death and rebirth side-by-side
  • 16:45 the double meaning of ‘leaves dead’
  • 17:45 ‘like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing’
  • 18:00 the symbol of Shelley is azure
  • 18:30 ‘pestilence-stricken multitudes’
  • 18:40 the dominating symbols of Shelley: the chariot and fire
  • 19:00 Gerard Manly Hopkins and Heraclitean Fire
  • 21:52 Destroyer and Preserver - Shiva and Vishnu
  • 23:00 ‘Angels of rain and lightning”
  • 23:30 “some fierce Maenad”
  • 25:00 “the blue Mediterranean”
  • 26:30 dropping to the bottom of the ocean
  • 27:00 “If I were a dead leaf”
  • 28:40 Montaigne’s ‘Of Cruelty’
  • 29:00 “Make me thy lyre”
  • 30:00 “Be thou me!”
  • 30:30 “Drive my dead thoughts over the universe”
  • 31:00 “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”
  • 33:00 ‘A Defence of Poetry’ begins
  • 33:30 reason vs imagination
  • 34:30 “poetry is connate with the origin of man”
  • 35:00 “man is an instrument”
  • 36:00 art appreciation and prolonging the consciousness of the cause
  • 37:00 what is a poet?
  • 38:00 what happens when we lack vitalistic poets?
  • 38:30 now more than ever, we need the poets and writers - where are todays Blakes and Shelleys?
  • 39:00 the vanity of translation
  • 39:45 my advice to those who want to read Dante
  • 40:00 the Florence trip that never was

This compact volume from Everyman Pocket Poets has 'Ode to the West Wind' and a choice selection of Shelley's other sublime writings.

For his 'A Defence of Poetry', Oxford University Press have his major works.

Happy reading!

Files

Previews only

Shelley's 'Ode to the West Wind' (Poetry Lecture One)

0:00 beginning with a warning 1:00 why the academies scorn Shelley 2:00 Lord Byron: ‘mad, bad, and dangerous to know’ 2:30 T. S. Eliot on the ‘adolescent’ Shelley 3:00 Shelley and the ‘companion of age’ 3:20 Shelley the second generation Romantic 3:30 why Shelley was expelled from Oxford 3:45 elopement with Harriet Westbrook 4:00 William Godwin of Political Justice 4:15 romance with Mary of soon-to-be Frankenstein fame 4:30 Harriet’s self-drowning in Hyde Park’s Serpentine 5:00 the death of Shelley 6:00 his unfinished masterpiece - The Triumph of Life 6:30 Shelley is the closest thing to reading Dante in English 7:20 if Shelley were alive today (Shelley and socialism) 8:00 Shelley as Gandhi, Blake, Hume, Dante, Plato, Trotsky blend 9:00 The Mask of Anarchy 10:00 Shelley’s preface to the poem 11:00 the etymology of sympathy and being ‘in simpatico’ 11:20 the one contains the many and the many contains the one 11:40 Proust, Hesse, and Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey 13:00 sympathy between body and soul 13:30 Frazer’s Golden Bough and the magic of primitive man 15:00 ‘Ode to the West Wind’ begins 16:30 death and rebirth side-by-side 16:45 the double meaning of ‘leaves dead’ 17:45 ‘like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing’ 18:00 the symbol of Shelley is azure 18:30 ‘pestilence-stricken multitudes’ 18:40 the dominating symbols of Shelley: the chariot and fire 19:00 Gerard Manly Hopkins and Heraclitean Fire 21:52 Destroyer and Preserver - Shiva and Vishnu 23:00 ‘Angels of rain and lightning” 23:30 “some fierce Maenad” 25:00 “the blue Mediterranean” 26:30 dropping to the bottom of the ocean 27:00 “If I were a dead leaf” 28:40 Montaigne’s ‘Of Cruelty’ 29:00 “Make me thy lyre” 30:00 “Be thou me!” 30:30 “Drive my dead thoughts over the universe” 31:00 “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” 33:00 ‘A Defence of Poetry’ begins 33:30 reason vs imagination 34:30 “poetry is connate with the origin of man” 35:00 “man is an instrument” 36:00 art appreciation and prolonging the consciousness of the cause 37:00 what is a poet? 38:00 what happens when we lack vitalistic poets? 38:30 now more than ever, we need the poets and writers - where are todays Blakes and Shelleys? 39:00 the vanity of translation 39:45 my advice to those who want to read Dante 40:00 the Florence trip that never was

Comments

Len Larsson

Ben ... wow ... so much to unpack here. I have come across Shelley's essays (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/5428/5428-h/5428-h.htm. ) and am enjoying reading through them as well, then going back to the poem. I love how you draw in other influences, references, and other poets/writers to inform our understanding. I am sad that I have only found this treasure now, in my autumn years. When I was at school we studied the lyrics of 60's Simon & Garfunkel & others ... I suppose because they were more "palatable" than old fusty poetry. My impression is poetry (good poetry) should be a challenge - it should "open you up" it makes you think and feel, challenge the mists of familiarity - everything you take for granted every day and think you know because you don't think about it, it just is. Poetry's challenge, is to wake up, look about you, and see the beauty and challenge of what you see - our propensity is to "make a famine, where abundance lies" ... It's 2am Ben, and I can't sleep, and it's your fault ! Or should I blame Shelley :)

hardcoreliterature
>>63253946

Thank you, Len. Yes, Shelley's non-fiction/essay work really helps the appreciation of his poetry. I'm particularly looking forward to Frankenstein for Halloween, as Shelley had quite an influence in this great work. Interesting that you mention Simon & Garfunkel. I remember going to a late night lecture in Oxford to listen to the then Professor of Poetry, Geoffrey Hill, who got into a rant about Bob Dylan and whether he was "literature" or not. I remember him banging his fist on the table and booming into the mic: "Bob. Dylan. Is. Not. POETRY". I left that lecture in thorough disagreement and a little hurt as Dylan was one of my favourites. I totally agree with your thoughts on poetry opening one up or being a challenge - some of Shelley's stuff is pure awakening, meditation style. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who finds him too stimulating to read close to bed time :)

Dee

A peaceful and inspiring lecture! I’d been casting around for a poem with which to explore chanting. I’d already decided on Ode to the West Wind, then decided to listen to the lecture today, and was really pleased to hear it recommended for such a project. When I’d picked up my poetry anthology a few days ago, and turned to Shelley, I was quite downcast to see by some notes I’d made in it that I’d read the poem last summer but had no memory of it. I remembered the day, and where I’d been sitting in the sunshine in the garden, but didn’t recall one word of the poem itself. I’m hoping that chanting and repetition will GIVE me poetry in a new, more enduring way. I’m so excited by the thought of understanding poetry through chanting, I can already see it in action after only a few days. I have been chanting it in bed without ill-effect though…haha.