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?
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?
Comparing Shelley’s “Ode to the West Wind” with Wordsworth’s “…Tintern Abbey”, there are a couple of notable similarities. First, both poets have, in their own way, idealized nature. Second, they both characterize nature as something restorative; they use language that points toward renewal.
However, their conceptions are starkly different as well.
Wordsworth presents a bucolic world – one that is gentle, with sweet memories to be stored up and saved as a balm for future difficulties. “Idyllic” is the word that comes to mind.
Shelley presents nature as violent agent of renewal – a brutal force of life, and death, and rebirth. Images such as “…this closing night/ Will be the dome of a vast sepulchre…”, and Baiae’s Bay being “All overgrown with azure moss and flowers/ So sweet, the sense faints picturing them…”, suggest nature is an incomprehensible, awe-inspiring power to be both revered and feared.
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?
The line “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” evokes a sense of hope. Since spring is associated with renewal or rebirth and happiness and winter is associated with despair, the quote is essentially saying that after the moment of despair and sadness, happiness will eventually follow. It essentially describes a cycle of evidently the seasons but metaphorically a cycle of life. Winter is a metaphor for death and spring is a metaphor for birth, therefore, after death there is a new birth.
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?
I believe this means that even though during the winter time everything is dying or going into hybernation in nature, there is hope that nature will once again bloom during the spring time. This also shows the possibility of death taking its toll on nature unexpectedly but we find it within ourselves to move on and grow from these experiences slowly. On the other hand, winter could be seen as an evil force that is taking over planet earth or our lives with its cold frosty hands, and we then ask ourselves whether or not its possible to await better days of growth and prosperity. Nature can be both a blessing and provide us with beautiful scenaries yet in times of disaster could ultimately take away all those memories it once gave us and leave us with only debris of what once was.
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 he means that poets are who rule and teach the world without even realizing it. I think this because as we all know, poems are left for interpretations. Poems are not always clear as water, they always tend to have a deeper meaning and people see and take those meanings in their own way. Therefore, poems are made to make people understand certain topics in their own way even if it has many components into it.
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?
Shelley’s attitude toward nature is the polar opposite of Wordsworth’s attitude toward nature. Wordsworth believes in everything and believes god is everything. In his famous poem, Tintern Abbey, he refers to nature as “beauteous” and “sublime.” On the other hand, Shelley believes nature is a depressing setting for him. Once viewing it as a positive place for him, his depression overwhelms his view of nature. Both poets, however, both can agree nature and the natural world is a place accepted and loved by many.
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?
As we know, Spring is a form of rebirth just like Winter is known to represent death. The lines “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” is a question for re-assurance that even when all is dying we can rest assure that rebirth will follow. We also know that Shelley is known to write his poems of depression that end with an optimistic standpoint. Winter evokes sadness, coldness and loneliness, but as Spring approaches, life, energy and happiness blooms. I believe that Shelley uses a metaphor of the wind blowing the dead leaves to represent his wish of his poetry still floating around and being read after he dies.
“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?
Shelley uses the seasons to convey a message that there is always something to look forward to no matter how bad things may seem. Winter is known for being a cold and depressing season. It is a time where all the beautiful things about Summer die out. Spring arrives once again to give the world color and life. He uses this metaphor to describe the experiences that we all go through in life. After every bad experience, there is always something good that will follow.
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?
The line by Shelley, “If winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” means to say that if one thing that is considered to be bad or less pleasant, it’s only a signal that something better will soon come along. The spring season is seen as the rejuvination of flora and fauna and new opportunities that roll around. If winter is currently present, that can only mean that spring will soon be coming which is supposed to be something hopeful.
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?
Shelley’s quote gives a sense of hope. Winter is the season associated with death because of the cold and all the plants dying. Spring is associated with rebirth and the season where everything blossoms again and earth regains its beauty. She is basically trying to say that although things might seem dark at the moment and like nothing is going your way that everything will be fine because good things will come your way. Spring will come and things will change for the good.
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?
Winter represents depression, dying, and despair, while spring means reborn, hope, and renewal. Shelley uses the season cycle to tell us that when we are suffering depression and feeling hopelessness about our lives, do not think that will be our endings. We should look forward that after the depression and despair, hope and renewal will come to us. Since we have suffered the worst, nothing could be worse than this worst situation. What will happen next must become better and better. That is a cycle. When we reach the end, we will have a new start.
“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?
When thinking about this logically, the seasons refer to the life and death of nature. During Winter, plant life is almost nonexistent except for those trees that are able to survive in the cold with minimum light. The day is shorter and the nights are colder. However, directly after Winter is Spring, which is related to the beginning stages of plant life. This is when animals like bees come out to help pollenate Earth. This is the start of life. The phrase can refer to the death and rebirth of life. Idea that for what is gone, there will be something later to replace it.
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?
By saying this I think he means that poets are the defenders of the people because they write to manifest the disagreement of the people on a fact of society. then galvanize the people to say no to certain injustices and also the poets translate in writing what the people feel or want but may not dare to denounce. In a way, they are the voice of the voiceless and serve as protectors of messages wherever they are between the people and the rulers.
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?
I think this quote represents Shelley’s depression. Shelley uses nature to represent his feelings, I believe in this quote he is comparing winter to his depression. Winter is dark, dreary, cold, and a time of death, many terms that can easily be associated with depression or the feelings someone who is depressed might be experiencing. The question is spring far behind symbolizes coming out of his depression, spring is a time where everything begins to grow gain, a time of new life, beauty and warmth, many of these descriptive terms for spring can also be associated with a time, or feeling, of happiness. After winter, comes spring and because of this fact Shelly is really asking in the last line of this poem, if he is depressed now, is happiness far behind? How long will it be until he is happy again, or will happiness every come for him?
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?
Wordsworth praises the nature as if nature is his religion but Shelley uses nature to describe how he is depressed. Shelley uses contrast to explain how he feels inside. Even the beauty of nature can’t help him with his depression and how everything he perceives in nature doesn’t really connect with him so he feels more isolated and lonely.