Percy Bysshe Shelley

Percy Bysshe Shelley may best be known for being married to, the author of “Frankenstein,” Mary Shelley. However, Percy Shelley has created quiet the legacy of his own with his romantic works of art. Percy was born on August 4, 1792 in England (Victorian).  Being the oldest of six children in a wealthy family, Percy was born rich and was in line to inherit a large estate and a seat in parliament (Poets.org). In 1810, Percy attended Oxford, but after just one year he was expelled due to his publishing of a pamphlet called, “The Necessity of Atheism” with fellow student Thomas Jefferson Hogg (Victorian). This was possibly the start of Percy’s “bad-boy” behavior, because shortly after his expulsion from Oxford, he eloped with 16 year old Harriet Westbrook against his families wishes (Infoplease). Percy and Harriet Shelley had two children together (Infoplease), but once again the “bad-boy” in Percy showed up. In 1814, Percy met 16 year old Mary Goodwin, and fell in love, secretly eloping (Poets.org).  Tragically, Harriet committed suicide in 1816, so Percy and Mary officially and publicly married (Infoplease). The two had three children together (Infoplease). Unfortunately, Percy drowned on July 8, 1822 while sailing (Poets.org). The life of Percy Bysshe Shelley may have been relatively short lived, but the works of art he left behind are timeless. Shelley wrote many poems and pamphlets, but some of his more note able works of art include: “The Cenci,” “Epipsychidion,” “Alastor,” “Hellas,” “Ode to the West,” “When the Lamp is Shattered,” and of course his masterpiece, “Prometheus Unbound” (Infoplease). Due to Percy Shelley’s brilliance and surroundings, the world has been given a glimpse in to the eloquence and beauty of the works of art from the Romantic era.

Works Cited:

"English literature: The Romantic Period." The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia.

 1994, 2000-2006, on Infoplease. 2000–2007 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease. 04 Apr. 2011. <http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/ent/A0858004.html>.     

Everett, Glenn. “Shelley Biography.” The Victorian Web. July 2000. 05 Apr. 2011. <http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/shelley/bio.html>.

“Percy Bysshe Shelley.” Poets.org. 1997-2011. 04 Apr. 2011. http://www.poets.org//poet.php/prmPID/179.

“Shelley, Percy Bysshe.” The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. 1994, 2000-2006, on Infoplease. 2000–2007 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease. 04 Apr. 2011. http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0844819.html.

            Picture Citation:

           “Percy Bysshe Shelley.” Poets.org. 1997-2011. 04 Apr. 2011.