write a critical essay on p.b Shelley as a romantic poet.

INTRODUCTION 

Percy Byshhey Shelley (1792-1822) is one of the great Romantic Poet in English Literature . The beginning of the 19th century was the period of Romanticism and Lyricism and the shelley was the master of writing romantic lyrics in this period of romantic revival. He was a great lyrist who expresses his simplest thought in the most  melodies manner in his poems . Commonly acclaimed Shelley poetry is always pleasant because of the lyrical quality it embodies .

Major work of P.B . SHELLEY 

Shelley most known for his classical poem like 

1. Ozymandias

2. Ode to the west wind 

3. To skylark 

4. The cloud 

5. The mosque of Anarchy 

His major works include long, visionary poems such as: 

1. Queen mab , Alastor

2. The revolut of lslam

3. Adonals 

4.  The triumph of life (unfinished work)

His  verse dramas : 

1.  The cenci (1819)

2.  Prometheus unbound ( 1820)

 

Shelley as a lyricist 

    Lyrics is short musical poem which expresses the personal emotions and experiences of the poet .shelley is an intense lyricist . His poem are focusing on single subject matter ,  full of music and melody and are subjective nature . His lyrical temper finds expression in flashes of imagination emotional expression of ideas , lilting melody , splendor of imagery and subjective note. His " Ode to the west wind " and " To a skylark " are his most outstanding lyrics.  They exhibit Shelley genius as lyric poet .

Shelley's love of Nature :

Shelley was a passionate admire of nature , just like the other romantic writers. Shelley , like Wordsworth sees nature as one spirit , the supreme power , acting upon everything . The majority of his poems including the cloud , To a skylark , To the moon , Ode to the west wind and A Dream of the unknown glorify nature as their central theme.

Spontaneity 

Spontaneity is one of the most striking features of Shelley's lyrics. he followed john keats ideology "if poetry  does not come as naturally as leaves to a tree , it had better not come at all, " his lyrics  are the " spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling " to use the words of wordsworth. In " To a skylark "he sings as naturally as the bird the poet's spontaneous expression is notable in following lines : 

 

" Teach me half the gladness 

  That thy brain must konw

  Such harmonious madness 

  From my lips would flow

  The world shoud listen then , as l am listening now ." 

 Shelley - A Visionary Poet

In Shelley's most poem he has expressed his strong desire and longing foe an ideal life and world. That is why he is also known as a visionary poet. He had vision or dream for a better life which he had expressed in some of gis poems. He is always yearning for what is unttainable . In ' ode to the west wind ' shelley expresses his desire to be united with the force of the wind to lift him like ' a wave , a left , a cloud ' . In the  last section , he vehemently urges the west wind to infuse its power into him, so that he can play the " trumpet of prophecy " and render his massage to mankind .

 Shelley's Pessimism and Optimism

  Shelley attitude towards life is immensely pessimistic on the one had and extremely optimistic on the other. He is pessimistic hopes for the future . He is unhappy to see corruption tyranny and social problem of his times and society , but he belives in the imminent drawing of a new era a golden millennium when all evils would disappeare giving place to a reign of love beauty and happiness. 

Musical Quality

 In his ' Defence of poetry ' shelley had rightly said , " poet a nightingale who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds , " According , his lyrics are highly musical and melodious . He has the gift of lending to his lyrics the sweetest the most liquid harmonies . " To a skylark " , and  " ode to the west wind " are both musical triumphs .

Conclusion 

   Hence , we may conclude that P.B. shelley was indeed an outstanding romantic lyricist of the 19th century english literature . His love for nature , his pessimism and optimism . His spontaneous expression of emotions and the elemnt of music and melody in all his lyrics make him a lyricist in the real sense of the word.