Percy Bysshe Shelley, Queen Mab Quotes

A collection of quotes by Percy Bysshe Shelley, Queen Mab.

Percy Bysshe Shelley was an English poet and radical thinker, best known for his influential works of Romantic and political poetry. He was born on August 4, 1792, in Sussex, England, into a wealthy aristocratic family. Shelley attended Eton College and later the University of Oxford, where he became immersed in the intellectual and political currents of the time.

In 1811, Shelley eloped with Harriet Westbrook, but their marriage was troubled, and he later abandoned her and their two children. The poet soon fell in love with Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, the daughter of political philosopher William Godwin and feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft. In 1816, they married after Harriet's suicide, and their relationship became one of profound intellectual and creative synergy.

Shelley's poem "Queen Mab" was written in 1813 but was not published until 1818. It was his first long major work and expressed his radical political ideas, advocating for social and political change, and promoting atheism and non-violence. The poem presents a vision of utopia through dialogue and allegory, influencing subsequent works of Romantic poetry.

Throughout his life, Shelley continued to write poems that challenged established societal norms and championed individual freedom and social justice. Notable works include "Prometheus Unbound," "Ode to the West Wind," and his most famous poem, "Ozymandias." Tragically, Shelley's life was cut short when he drowned at the age of 29 while sailing off the coast of Italy on July 8, 1822. Despite his untimely death, Shelley's poetry remains influential for its innovative style and radical ideas.