Here we are giving the views of Prof. Clutton-Brock and Prof. Elton. Shelley’s poetry is the expression of the man himself, springing from the heart rather than from the brain, and we must understand the man to understand his poetry. “In his poetry,” remarks Clutton Brock “his character interests us as much as the poetry itself, because he has, so unexpectedly, been able to exhibit the beauty of his conceptions in its native truth and splendour, and has not needed to temper his planetary music for mortal ears.”
His character and his story are more chequered and romantic than Wordsworth’s, purer and loftier than Byron’s. Byron is always,” says Professor Elton, “Called an egotist, and so he is. Shelley is often called a saint, and he had, or came to have, some of the qualities of the saint. Shelley’s frank friendliness and comradeship; his clear witty tact and good feeling in his intercourse with persons; his odd and fitful but genuine gaiety; his eager simplicity and naturalness— we must get all this into our minds if we are to see him right.” His life was itself a romance. He was fearless and bold. He was not very strong in morality. He eloped with Mary Godwin, and his first wife Harriet committed suicide through his bitter estrangement from her. He was, moreover, sceptical and revolutionary in his ideas from the very outset of his life. “Of a sensitive and highly strung nature, Shelley was stirred at an early age by the spirit of revolt.” Shelley was considerably influenced by Godwin and his political Justice, the book on Which he based his Queen Mab in which he has condemned all important institutions, such as king and governments, church. property, marriage and Christianity. But at the very heart of his eager enthusiasm for humanity was an abiding love of justice, and his intense sympathy for the oppressed, and his hatred of the oppressor.
