Percy Bysshe Shelley

Poet

Percy Bysshe Shelley was a key Romantic poet known for his radical ideas on love, freedom, and social justice, particularly in works like 'Prometheus Unbound'.

Born
August 4, 1792
Died
July 8, 1822
Quotes
437
Rank
#64

About Percy Bysshe Shelley

Percy Bysshe Shelley — Life and Legacy

Percy Bysshe Shelley was an influential English Romantic poet whose works explored themes of love, freedom, and the human spirit. His radical ideas, particularly in 'Prometheus Unbound', illustrate his belief in the power of love as a catalyst for change and liberation. Shelley’s poetry often reflects a deep connection to nature and a yearning for personal and societal freedom, as seen in his famous line, 'The one remains, the many change', which encapsulates his view on the enduring nature of truth amidst societal upheaval. Shelley's core thinking revolved around the belief that love transcends societal constraints and serves as a unifying force. His passionate advocacy for individual freedom and social justice challenged the norms of his time, positioning him as a voice for the oppressed. In 'Ode to the West Wind', he personifies nature as a source of inspiration and a metaphor for transformation, revealing his belief in the interconnectedness of humanity and the natural world. Today, Shelley’s quotes resonate with readers seeking to understand the complexities of love and the pursuit of freedom. His ability to articulate the struggles of the human experience continues to inspire those who challenge societal norms and advocate for change.

Quote collection

Percy Bysshe Shelley quotes (page 1 of 22)

437 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.

Percy Bysshe Shelley Poet
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"Through the sunset of hope, Like the shapes of a dream, What paradise islands of glory gleam!"

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Percy Bysshe Shelley Poet
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"When my cats aren't happy, I'm not happy. Not because I care about their mood but because I know they're just sitting there thinking up ways to get even."

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"Life may change, but it may fly not; Hope may vanish, but can die not; Truth be veiled, but still it burneth; Love repulsed, - but it returneth!"

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"Love withers under constraints: its very essence is liberty: it is compatible neither with obedience, jealousy, nor fear."

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"Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought."

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"War is the statesman's game, the priest's delight, the lawyer's jest, the hired assassin's trade."

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"Away, away, from men and towns, To the wild wood and the downs, - To the silent wilderness, Where the soul need not repress Its music."

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"And Spring arose on the garden fair, Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere; And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast rose from the dreams of its wintry rest."

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"Heaven's ebon vault Studded with stars unutterably bright, Through which the moon's unclouded grandeur rolls, Seems like a canopy which love has spread To curtain her sleeping world."

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"Poetry Love's Philosophy The fountains mingle with the river And the rivers with the ocean, The winds of heaven mix for ever With a sweet emotion; Nothing in the world is single, All things by a law divine In one another's being mingle— Why not I with thine? See the mountains kiss high heaven, And the waves clasp one another; No sister-flower would be forgiven If it disdain'd its brother; And the sunlight clasps the earth, And the moonbeams kiss the sea— What are all these kissings worth, If thou kiss not me?"

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Percy Bysshe Shelley Poet
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"The sunlight claps the earth, and the moonbeams kiss the sea: what are all these kissings worth, if thou kiss not me?"

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Percy Bysshe Shelley Poet
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"See the mountains kiss high Heaven And the waves clasp one another; No sister-flower would be forgiven If it disdained its brother; And the sunlight clasps the earth, And the moonbeams kiss the sea - What is all this sweet work worth If thou kiss not me?"

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"Nothing wilts faster than laurels that have been rested upon."

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Percy Bysshe Shelley Poet
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"I arise from dreams of thee In the first sweet sleep of night, when the winds are breathing low, and the stars are shining bright."

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"Thou who didst waken from his summer dreams The blue Mediterranean, where he lay, Lull'd by the coil of his crystalline streams Beside a pumice isle in Baiæ's bay, And saw in sleep old palaces and towers Quivering within the wave's intenser day, All overgrown with azure moss and flowers So sweet, the sense faints picturing them."

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"It is only by softening and disguising dead flesh by culinary preparation that it is rendered susceptible of mastication or digestion, and that the sight of its bloody juices and raw horror does not excite intolerable loathing and disgust."

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