Percy Bysshe Shelley
In this essay, there is a thorough examination of Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "Stanzas Written in Dejection, near Naples." It delves into the contrast between the serene beauty of nature and the speaker's internal struggles. The literary techniques utilized in the poem are meticulously analyzed, and their importance is explained in detail.
Line by Line Analysis and Literary Devices in the poem Stanzas Written in Dejection, near Naples
The sun is warm, the sky is clear, The waves are dancing fast and bright, Blue isles and snowy mountains wear The purple noon’s transparent might, The breath of the moist earth is light, Around its unexpanded buds; Like many a voice of one delight, The winds, the birds, the ocean floods, The City’s voice itself, is soft like Solitude's
In the first stanza of “Stanzas Written in Dejection Near Naples” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, the speaker presents a stark contrast between the vibrant natural landscape and their own inner turmoil.
The scene is set on the stunning coast of Naples where the sun is warm, the sky is clear, and the shimmering waves dance brightly. The small islands reflect the blue of the ocean and the snowy mountain peaks in the distance further enhance the picturesque setting.
The line “The purple noon’s transparent might,” points to the unimpeded illumination of the midday sun tints the surrounding nature purple.
The phrase “breath of the moist earth” refers to the gentle wind that with its vitality and freshness nurtures the flowers. The bud symbolizes a new beginning and a continuous cycle of renewal and growth.
The line “Like many a voice of one delight” implies that the harmonious sounds of nature—represented by the winds, birds, and ocean—are unified in their joyful expression.
The different sounds of the elements of nature – winds, birdsongs, and waves of the ocean convey a sense of harmonious joyousness.
Despite the bustling nature of a city, the line “The City’s voice itself, is soft like Solitude’s” expresses the sense that the city’s voice is soft and even comparable to the quietness of solitude. This highlights the speaker’s internal preoccupation and suggests a certain detachment or disillusionment with the immediate sensory pleasures offered by the natural world.
I see the Deep's untrampled floor With green and purple seaweeds strown; I see the waves upon the shore, Like light dissolved in star-showers, thrown: I sit upon the sands alone,— The lightning of the noontide ocean Is flashing round me, and a tone Arises from its measured motion, How sweet! did any heart now share in my emotion.
“I see the Deep’s untrampled floor”
The speaker begins the second stanza by describing the seafloor, specifically the pristine depths below its surface.
“With green and purple seaweeds strown;”
The speaker observes that the underwater world is adorned with seaweeds in shades of green and purple. The seaweeds can also be associated with fertility and along with the “unexpanded buds” present an image of a thriving natural world.
“I see the waves upon the shore,”
The speaker shifts their attention to the perpetual motion of the waves. The shimmering waves are likened to the brilliance of the meteor showers. The waves crash on the shore, creating brief and dazzling splashes like the shooting stars in a meteor shower. This image evokes a sense of transient yet awe-inspiring beauty.
“I sit upon the sands alone,—”
The speaker expresses their solitude as they sit alone on the sandy beach. This line reinforces their emotional state of isolation and echoes the theme of dejection established in the title.
“The lightning of the noontide ocean”
The speaker describes the brilliant flashes of light produced by the ocean under the midday sun. This imagery intensifies the sensory experience, evoking a vivid and dazzling display.
In the lines “I sit upon the sands alone,” the speaker highlights their solitude while being surrounded by the mesmerizing beauty and harmony of nature. It reflects a common theme in romantic poetry: the sublime beauty of nature, contrasting with the human condition and emotions.
In the lines “The lightning of the noontide ocean / Is flashing round me,” the speaker uses the metaphor of lightning to describe the waves of the sea. This comparison emphasizes the swift and intense flashes of light created by the breaking waves, much like how lightning illuminates the sky during a storm. The contrast between the speaker’s emotional isolation and the rhythmic, lively motion of the sea creates a compelling dynamic in the poem, highlighting the interplay between the human experience and the timeless rhythms of nature.
The measured and rhythmic movement of the waves creates a consistent and pleasing sound, contributing to the overall harmony of the scene.
The last line “How sweet! did any heart now share in my emotion.” reveals the speaker’s yearning for companionship or someone to share in their emotional response to the beauty of the scene.
Alas! I have nor hope nor health, Nor peace within nor calm around, Nor that content surpassing wealth The sage in meditation found, And walked with inward glory crowned— Nor fame, nor power, nor love, nor leisure. Others I see whom these surround— Smiling they live, and call life pleasure; o me that cup has been dealt in another measure.
“Alas! I have nor hope nor health,”
The third stanza begins with the speaker conveying his loneliness while experiencing the breathtaking beauty of the sea and its surroundings. The speaker lacks hope and health suggesting a state of suffering both physical and emotional. This contrast of being surrounded by the mesmerizing beauty of nature while experiencing a profound sense of mental anguish serves to intensify the emotional impact of the poem and adds depth to the speaker’s sense of isolation and despondency.
“Nor peace within nor calm around,”
The speaker continues by revealing that they lack inner peace and tranquility in their external environment. This further emphasizes their internal anxiety and suggests a lack of harmony or contentment in their life which contrasts with the harmony in nature.
“Nor that content surpassing wealth”
The speaker expresses the absence of a profound sense of contentment that surpasses the contentment derived from transient material possessions.
“The sage in meditation found,”
The speaker is in the quest for peace and tranquility that wise individuals, or sages, discover through the practice of meditation. The mention of meditation suggests that contentment is derived from an inner journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening.
“And walked with inward glory crowned—”
The speaker describes the sage who attained enlightenment as walking with a sense of inner glory or spiritual radiance. The sage has been metaphorically likened to a king as he carries his wisdom and spirituality like a crown.
“Nor fame, nor power, nor love, nor leisure.”
The speaker lists several aspects of a fulfilling life that they feel they lack. They mention fame, power, love, and leisure, implying that these common sources of happiness and satisfaction elude them. This repeated use of “nor” intensifies their sense of deprivation and longing.
“Others I see whom these surround—”
The speaker acknowledges that they observe others who are fortunate enough to possess these sources of contentment.
“Smiling they live, and call life pleasure;”
The speaker observes that the individuals who are in possession of material wealth, power, or love also seemingly live a happy and pleasurable life.
“To me that cup has been dealt in another measure.”
The speaker concludes by stating that the circumstances of his life are different from those around him. He has no source of contentment that can be derived either from enlightenment or from material possessions. The speaker is in quest of their own path that will lead to their own happiness and contentment.
Yet now despair itself is mild, Even as the winds and waters are; I could lie down like a tired child, And weep away the life of care Which I have borne and yet must bear, Till death like sleep might steal on me, And I might feel in the warm air My cheek grow cold, and hear the sea Breathe o'er my dying brain its last monotony.
“Yet now despair itself is mild,”
The speaker is conveying his regrets for not being able to find anything in life that brings contentment. However, the deep pangs of regret have subdued over time. The speaker has come to terms with the overwhelming sense of discontentment.
“Even as the winds and waters are;”
The speaker compares his subdued inner turmoil to the mild wind and the rhythmic splashes of water near the shore. It reflects the idea that human emotions can be influenced by and mirrored in the natural environment.
“I could lie down like a tired child,”
The speaker uses a simile to express their desire for solace and comfort. By comparing themselves to a tired child, the speaker conveys their longing for a sense of emotional rest and care, much like how a child seeks comfort and security when tired.
“And weep away the life of care”
The speaker expresses a desire to shed his emotional burden by weeping, viewing it as a form of cathartic release.
“Which I have borne and yet must bear,”
The speaker acknowledges that their inner turmoil has been ongoing and persistent and the thought of having to endure it even in the future, intensifies the sense of despair and hopelessness.
“Till death like sleep might steal on me,”
The speaker envisions death as a form of slumber that might save them from this perpetual pain by stealthily coming upon him and ending his misery. This line underscores the depth of the speaker’s emotional pain and their yearning for an escape from their perpetual suffering.
“And I might feel in the warm air”
The speaker imagines experiencing a physical sensation in the warm air around them. This line implies a heightened sensitivity and awareness of their surroundings, perhaps as they contemplate their mortality.
“My cheek grow cold, and hear the sea”
The speaker envisions their cheek growing cold, potentially as a sign of approaching death. They also imagine hearing the sound of the sea, which may symbolize the eternal and rhythmic nature of existence.
“Breathe o’er my dying brain its last monotony.”
The speaker anticipates the final breath of the sea, or the sound of the sea’s waves, passing over their dying brain. This line suggests a desire for a peaceful and monotonous conclusion to their life, a merging with the eternal rhythm of nature.
Some might lament that I were cold, As I, when this sweet day is gone, Which my lost heart, too soon grown old, Insults with this untimely moan; They might lament—for I am one Whom men love not,—and yet regret, Unlike this day, which, when the sun Shall on its stainless glory set, Will linger, though enjoyed, like joy in memory yet.
“when this sweet day is gone” – a metaphor for a period of happiness or contentment in their life.
“Some might lament that I were cold,”
The speaker ruminates how some people might lament their distant and reserved nature. This line contemplates the complexity of human interactions.
“As I, when this sweet day is gone,”
This line adds to the complexity of the speaker’s emotional journey and how their feelings and interactions with others can be influenced by the changing nature of experiences and surroundings.
“Which my lost heart, too soon grown old,”
The speaker describes how burdened by sorrow and experiences, their heart has prematurely aged. The word “lost” conveys a feeling of being adrift or disconnected, adding to the sense of emotional dissonance the speaker may be experiencing.
“Insults with this untimely moan;”
The speaker considers their expression of sorrow or lamentation as untimely or out of place in relation to the beauty of the day. They perceive their own emotional outpouring as an insult to the fleeting beauty and joy that surrounds them.
“They might lament—for I am one”
The speaker suggests that others might express sadness or sympathy towards them. They imply that their own disposition and emotional state might elicit such sentiments from others.
“Whom men love not,—and yet regret,”
The speaker admits that they are not loved by others, but they think that their absence or departure may cause some regret or a feeling of loss. This implies a complicated connection between the speaker and the people around them.
“Unlike this day, which, when the sun”
The speaker highlights the difference between their current situation and the memorable day. They suggest that the day will be cherished and remembered long after it’s gone, unlike themselves.
“Shall on its stainless glory set,”
The speaker visualizes the sun setting on the day’s “stainless glory“, highlighting its purity and radiance. This image enhances the concept of the day’s significance and lasting impression
“Will linger, though enjoyed, like joy in memory yet.”
The speaker implies that the memory of the day will persist, even after it has been enjoyed and passed. They liken this enduring memory to the lasting joy one holds in their recollection.
The Second Coming
William Butler Yeats HISTORICAL and BIBLICAL CONTEXT “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats was written in 1919 and published in The Nation and The Dial in November 1920. Later, it was included in Yeats’s collection “Michael Robartes and the Dancer” (1921). Yeats wrote this poem at the end of World War I (1914-1918), a conflict…
Sarojini Naidu: The Bangle Sellers
About the poet: Sarojini Naidu, often celebrated as “The Nightingale of India,” is a prominent Indian poet renowned for her evocative expression of romantic sensibilities and passion. Her works encapsulate the essence of Indian culture and civilization, reflecting the era she lived in. “The Bangle Sellers” epitomizes these themes by delving into the life of…
Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802
William Wordsworth Lines 1–8 (2 quatrains, each rhymed abab) 1 st quatrain (4 lines) Earth has not any thing to show more fair: Dull would he be of soul who could pass by A sight so touching in its majesty: This City now doth, like a garment, wear 2nd quatrain The beauty of the morning;…
The Literary Companion 
One thought on “Stanzas Written in Dejection, near Naples”