1. In Shelley’s “A Defence of Poetry,” he states that “poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the World.” What do you think he means by this?
2. Compare Shelley’s attitude toward nature with that of Wordsworth. What do these two Romantic poets seem to share and where do they differ in their relationships with the natural world?
3. “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?,” the concluding line of “Ode to the West Wind” is one of Shelley’s most frequently quoted lines. What do you think it means?
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In Shelley’s “A Defense of Poetry,” he states that “poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the World.” Shelley is not wrong for this statement, especially when considering the time being. During the Romanticism Era, many great influencers of society were writers and poets. Shelley, by making this claim, is simply stating that poets may not make the call for action, but they will inform and influence others for change.
1. In Shelley’s “A Defence of Poetry,” he states that “poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the World.” What do you think he means by this?
I think that what Shelley is trying to say is that at the time that he is writing this there are reformations and revolutions going on throughout Europe and the people engaging in these movements are also readers of Romantic Poets works. He is saying that the influence of their writing may influence revolutionaries who may change the course of the future.
Compare Shelley’s attitude toward nature with that of Wordsworth. What do these two Romantic poets seem to share and where do they differ in their relationships with the natural world?
Both Wordsworth’s and Shelley’s attitude toward nature is similar based on their passion and their connection with the woods and the wind. Both poets are inspired by how nature can be a significant symbol of life. On the other hand, Shelley suggests that nature can be a disturbance as opposed to Wordsworth’s suggestion that nature can only bring peace and healing.
3. “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?,” the concluding line of “Ode to the West Wind” is one of Shelley’s most frequently quoted lines. What do you think it means?
This quote represents the cycle of rejuvenating. When something dies out, something else is being born. There is a cycle to the seasons ( winter where the tree leaves are dying and fall of the tree, followed by spring where everything begins to bloom again, followed by the summer and the fall. A similar cycle appears in life.