Free Essays,College Free Essays,Free College Essays at Anti Essays

I am going to write about the poem “Ode to the west wind” By Shelley. Percy Shelley was born Aug. 4, 1792. English Romantic poet whose passionate search for personal love and social justice derived from overt actions into poems that rank with the greatest in the English language.

Ode to the west wind describes vividly the activities of the west wind on the earth, in the sky, and on the sea. He then expresses his envy for the continuous freedom of the west wind, and his wish to be free like the wind. Shelley wants to spread word of his envy for the west wind‘s ‘freedom to roam. He wishes he could be so free.

Shelley uses many metaphors which symbolize things with a representative meaning or to represent something concrete by something abstract. Shelley says, "Angels of rain and lightening", The "angels" are referred to the "clouds," that expel rain and lightening. "The locks of the approaching storm", again, are referring to clouds which symbolize an approaching storm.

Wind as a force of nature, can be very powerful. In hurricanes and tornados we see the wind, destroy houses and other natural objects. The earth, water, and air all feel its power. This poem gives us an image of the powerful wind and its effect on nature. The repeated words deal with symbolism of life, death, and god.

The wind is referred to as a spirit. The wind is invisible, an unseen presence, but it has a powerful voice, which is a symbolism of god. Shelley uses the word “quivering”, which is used to show a sense of fear which seems to be the overall tone or mood in this poem. Is Shelley possibly making a comment that he is fearful of a vengeful god? Shelley uses the changes of the seasons, as the force that he invokes. Could this be the invocation of god?