Context of Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley,was born in 1792 into a wealthy Sussex Family in England. His father, Timothy Shelley was a member of Parliament and the rest of his relatives were also wealthy. Shelley was the first of 7 children. At the age of 12, Shelley entered a prestigious boy’s school called Eton and embraced the idea of “Liberty” and “Equality”after finding the philosophical work of William Godwin. His strong beliefs were displayed in various poems, especially "England in 1819" From a young age, Shelley was an atheist and his religion was centered on nature, as displayed by his well renowned poem "A Hymn To Intellectual Beauty". During his enrollment in Eton, Shelley was ruthlessly bullied by his peers for his quirky nature and slim frame. Shelley entered Oxford in 1810 and was expelled soon after for authoring a pamphlet called the “The Necessarity of Atheism” which shocked the 19th Century English conservatives.
Shelley had a complex love life. From a young age, Shelley started publishing poems and to this day is a well known writer of the Romantic Period. At the age of 19 he eloped to Scotland with Harriet Westbrook, a daughter of a tavern (pub) keeper, however their relationship was formed on the basis that Harriet threatened to commit suicide if Shelley did not return her affections. In 1814, Shelley personally met his role model, William Godwin, an atheist and journalist, and fell in love with his daughter Mary Godwin despite the fact that Harriet was pregnant and they had a daughter called Elizabeth Ianthe. He abandoned Harriet to elope with Mary Godwin, who is well known for her novel Frankenstein. Upon Percy Shelley's return to London, Harriet Westbrook learnt of Mary Godwin's pregnancy and committed suicide while pregnant with her and Shelley's third child.
Shelley had 6 children, however only his youngest, Percy Florence outlived his parents, and Shelley failed to gain custody of the two that Harriet mothered. Through out his life, Shelley traveled Europe extensively, partly due to his elopements. Shelley died at the age of 29 in 1822 after a sailing accident. Shelley lived a dramatic life while producing numerous poems. Regrettably, his work only started to be recognized after his death.
Shelley had a complex love life. From a young age, Shelley started publishing poems and to this day is a well known writer of the Romantic Period. At the age of 19 he eloped to Scotland with Harriet Westbrook, a daughter of a tavern (pub) keeper, however their relationship was formed on the basis that Harriet threatened to commit suicide if Shelley did not return her affections. In 1814, Shelley personally met his role model, William Godwin, an atheist and journalist, and fell in love with his daughter Mary Godwin despite the fact that Harriet was pregnant and they had a daughter called Elizabeth Ianthe. He abandoned Harriet to elope with Mary Godwin, who is well known for her novel Frankenstein. Upon Percy Shelley's return to London, Harriet Westbrook learnt of Mary Godwin's pregnancy and committed suicide while pregnant with her and Shelley's third child.
Shelley had 6 children, however only his youngest, Percy Florence outlived his parents, and Shelley failed to gain custody of the two that Harriet mothered. Through out his life, Shelley traveled Europe extensively, partly due to his elopements. Shelley died at the age of 29 in 1822 after a sailing accident. Shelley lived a dramatic life while producing numerous poems. Regrettably, his work only started to be recognized after his death.
Map of Shelleys Travels
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Percy Shelley travelled extensively through Europe and never had a permanent residency unitl later on in his life.
He was born in Horsham, England. In 1811 He eloped to Scotland, and from there he and his lover Harriet Westbrook travelled to Keswick in Englands Lake District. Shelley and Harriet Westbrook then returned to London where Shelley abandoned her and eloped to Switzerland with a new lover, Mary Godwin They returned to London for a short period when Mary Godwin's half sister- Fanny and Harriet Westbrook committed suicide in the Serpentine River, Hyde Park After marrying at St Mildred's Church, London, the Shelleys returned to Switzerland, setting up a residency in Lake Geneva which had a profound effect on both of them and inspired them to produce some of there most well renowned writings. They later returned to England setting up a residency in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. In 1818, the Shelleys and their children left for Venice, then Naples, Italy and then Rome, until Shelleys death in the Gulf of Spezia, North Italy After Percy Shelley's death, Mary and their only living son, Percy Florence returned to London and remained their until Mary's passing. |
Timeline of Shelleys Life
Shelley's Original Works
http://shelleysghost.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/percy-shelley-index