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Epipsychidion
This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.
98 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1821
About the author
Percy Bysshe Shelley
1,663 books1,421 followersWorks of Percy Bysshe Shelley, British romantic poet, include "To a Skylark" in 1820;
Prometheus Unbound
, the lyric drama; and "Adonais," an elegy of 1821 to John Keats.
The Cenci , work of art or literature of Percy Bysshe Shelley of 1819, depicts Beatrice Cenci, Italian noblewoman.
People widely consider Percy Bysshe Shelley among the finest majors of the English language. He is perhaps most famous for such anthology pieces as Ozymandias , Ode to the West Wind , and The Masque of Anarchy . His major long visionary Alastor , The Revolt of Islam , and the unfinished The Triumph of Life .
Unconventional life and uncompromising idealism of Percy Bysshe Shelley combined with his strong skeptical voice to make an authoritative and much denigrated figure during his life. He became the idol of the next two or three generations, the major Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite Robert Browning, Alfred Tennyson, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Algernon Charles Swinburne, as well as William Butler Yeats and in other languages, such as Jibanananda Das and Subramanya Bharathy . Karl Marx, Henry Stephens Salt, and [authorm:Bertrand Russell] also admired him. Famous for his association with his contemporaries Lord Byron, he also married Mary Shelley, novelist.
The Cenci , work of art or literature of Percy Bysshe Shelley of 1819, depicts Beatrice Cenci, Italian noblewoman.
People widely consider Percy Bysshe Shelley among the finest majors of the English language. He is perhaps most famous for such anthology pieces as Ozymandias , Ode to the West Wind , and The Masque of Anarchy . His major long visionary Alastor , The Revolt of Islam , and the unfinished The Triumph of Life .
Unconventional life and uncompromising idealism of Percy Bysshe Shelley combined with his strong skeptical voice to make an authoritative and much denigrated figure during his life. He became the idol of the next two or three generations, the major Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite Robert Browning, Alfred Tennyson, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Algernon Charles Swinburne, as well as William Butler Yeats and in other languages, such as Jibanananda Das and Subramanya Bharathy . Karl Marx, Henry Stephens Salt, and [authorm:Bertrand Russell] also admired him. Famous for his association with his contemporaries Lord Byron, he also married Mary Shelley, novelist.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 2, 2013
The ups and downs of an entire lifetime in one poem.
April 27, 2025
only 3 stars for you perce bc why aren’t you writing this beautiful poetry about mary shelley, YOUR WIFE!
May 19, 2021
It's so hard rating poetry! My thoughts are as follows:
- I was a bit :/ for most of the poem. The copulation metaphors are... abundant, to say the least. I feel generally :/ re: Percy B Shelley writing about free love and his devotion to another woman while Mary Shelley was going through hell.
- Then these lines pierced my soul:
"I have sent books and music there, and all
Those instruments with which high Spirits call
The future from its cradle, and the past
Out of its grave, and make the present last
In thoughts and joys which sleep but cannot die
Folded within their own eternity"
and
"Be this our home in life, and when years heap
Their wither'd hours, like leaves, on our decay,
Let us become the overhanging day,"
Both of these emotions can—and do— live together, although maybe not in peace. But this is life and literary criticism for you!
- I was a bit :/ for most of the poem. The copulation metaphors are... abundant, to say the least. I feel generally :/ re: Percy B Shelley writing about free love and his devotion to another woman while Mary Shelley was going through hell.
- Then these lines pierced my soul:
"I have sent books and music there, and all
Those instruments with which high Spirits call
The future from its cradle, and the past
Out of its grave, and make the present last
In thoughts and joys which sleep but cannot die
Folded within their own eternity"
and
"Be this our home in life, and when years heap
Their wither'd hours, like leaves, on our decay,
Let us become the overhanging day,"
Both of these emotions can—and do— live together, although maybe not in peace. But this is life and literary criticism for you!
March 10, 2016
Me ha resultado difícil asimilar rápidamente tantos conceptos. Le daré un par de días y lo volveré a leer.
Intenso, provocador, desgarrador y sin final feliz. O al menos sin un final feliz en este mundo. Quizá en el otro, ya sabéis, en el de las ideas.
Intenso, provocador, desgarrador y sin final feliz. O al menos sin un final feliz en este mundo. Quizá en el otro, ya sabéis, en el de las ideas.
May 1, 2022
El Episychidion es uno de los más famosos poemas largos de Shelley, y también de los más controvertidos. Shelley siempre fue dado a quejarse de su suerte, de sufrir la incomprensión de la sociedad, y su actitud parece haber sido una mezcla de continua justificación de sí mismo y amargo reconocimiento de su parte de responsabilidad en sus desgracias.
Epipsychidion puede ser el más escandaloso de sus poemas desde el punto de vista sentimental. En breve hay que señalar que tras su desgraciado primer matrimonio Shelley se separa meses antes de que su mujer de a luz a su primer hijo, conoce a las hermanas Godwin, se fuga con ambas ante la negativa del padre de estas de permitir el matrimonio de Mary Godwin con el poeta. Más tarde se casa con Mary, y al mismo tiempo mantiene relaciones con su hermana Claire (que ya había tenido una hija con Byron a los 19 años). Tiene hijos de ambas (Claire ya había tenido una hija con Byron a los 19 años). Con dos mujeres, varios niños, viajes por Europa y el dinero de una herencia que se acaba, en Italia conoce a otra joven, Teresa Viviani, (Emilia en el poema), de la que igualmente se enamora.
Y con esta situación Shelley publica, aunque de manera anónima, el poema Epipsychidion.
Si nos atenemos a la letra, Shelley en el poema plantea la posibilidad de vivir con las tres mujeres: su nuevo amor que es su Sol, su mujer que se conforma con ser su Luna, y Claire que como va y viene, es considerada un cometa.
El poeta plantea a sus mujeres dos opciones que contempla: que las tres compartan como hermanas el amor del poeta, o que Emilia acepte su, parece ser, primera opción que sería fugarse con ella a las paradisíacas islas jónicas.
Aunque pueda haber mucha fantasía (¡el poeta temía que se pudiera interpretar la obra como autobiografía!), es fácil de entender lo que pudo sentir Mary, la joven que le juró amor eterno, se fugó con él, viajó con él de un país a otro sin lugar donde asentarse, le dio varios hijos, sufrió la muerte de su primera hija…y que finalmente es repetidamente acusada de frialdad, de mantenerle ni vivo ni muerto, a la espera de encontrar a su verdadera mujer, que ahora piensa puede ser Emilia.
El poema es al menos potencialmente escandaloso. Al margen de eso, es considerado uno de sus grandes poemas. Estructuralmente es como poco extraño, una primera parte establece una relación platónica con Emilia, una segunda parte cuenta su búsqueda de la mujer ideal, el ídolo, entrevisto, soñado, que tras varias experiencias cree encontrar en Mary. Cuenta a continuación la decepción, Mary no es el Sol que él creía, sino su pálida Luna. A continuación se acuerda de Claire (el cometa), antes tan cerca y ahora lejana, a la que llama a unirse con ellos. Finalmente vuelve a Emilia y le plantea la huida como almas gemelas a un paraíso de bucólica y poética evasión.
El poema mantiene esa idealizada atmósfera poética tan característica del autor, la dicción brillante, el vocabulario lujoso como siempre. A menudo es brillante, a ratos un muestreo de su acostumbrado repertorio de motivos (luz de luna en la noche, rocío sobre flores, nubes que cruzan el cielo nocturno, brisas de primavera, guirnaldas, ruiseñores, águilas, halos, tempestades, el rumor en cuevas de lejanas costas bañadas por las olas, Espíritus, Esplendores, Sombras, los mitos de Faetonte, Endimión…). De nuevo se tiene la sensación de que en sus poemas largos Shelley se repite, aprovecha su conocimiento como buen profesional para mantener un lirismo que corre el riesgo de convertirse en mecánico y retórico.
Aun así, Epipsychidion imperfecto como es, está vivo, donde el perfecto Adonais estaba mayormente muerto. Personalmente sigo prefiriendo el Shelley de los más breves poemas. Epipsychidion se podría recortar una tercera parte y ganaría. A Ozymandias no le sobra una palabra.
Epipsychidion puede ser el más escandaloso de sus poemas desde el punto de vista sentimental. En breve hay que señalar que tras su desgraciado primer matrimonio Shelley se separa meses antes de que su mujer de a luz a su primer hijo, conoce a las hermanas Godwin, se fuga con ambas ante la negativa del padre de estas de permitir el matrimonio de Mary Godwin con el poeta. Más tarde se casa con Mary, y al mismo tiempo mantiene relaciones con su hermana Claire (que ya había tenido una hija con Byron a los 19 años). Tiene hijos de ambas (Claire ya había tenido una hija con Byron a los 19 años). Con dos mujeres, varios niños, viajes por Europa y el dinero de una herencia que se acaba, en Italia conoce a otra joven, Teresa Viviani, (Emilia en el poema), de la que igualmente se enamora.
Y con esta situación Shelley publica, aunque de manera anónima, el poema Epipsychidion.
Si nos atenemos a la letra, Shelley en el poema plantea la posibilidad de vivir con las tres mujeres: su nuevo amor que es su Sol, su mujer que se conforma con ser su Luna, y Claire que como va y viene, es considerada un cometa.
El poeta plantea a sus mujeres dos opciones que contempla: que las tres compartan como hermanas el amor del poeta, o que Emilia acepte su, parece ser, primera opción que sería fugarse con ella a las paradisíacas islas jónicas.
Aunque pueda haber mucha fantasía (¡el poeta temía que se pudiera interpretar la obra como autobiografía!), es fácil de entender lo que pudo sentir Mary, la joven que le juró amor eterno, se fugó con él, viajó con él de un país a otro sin lugar donde asentarse, le dio varios hijos, sufrió la muerte de su primera hija…y que finalmente es repetidamente acusada de frialdad, de mantenerle ni vivo ni muerto, a la espera de encontrar a su verdadera mujer, que ahora piensa puede ser Emilia.
El poema es al menos potencialmente escandaloso. Al margen de eso, es considerado uno de sus grandes poemas. Estructuralmente es como poco extraño, una primera parte establece una relación platónica con Emilia, una segunda parte cuenta su búsqueda de la mujer ideal, el ídolo, entrevisto, soñado, que tras varias experiencias cree encontrar en Mary. Cuenta a continuación la decepción, Mary no es el Sol que él creía, sino su pálida Luna. A continuación se acuerda de Claire (el cometa), antes tan cerca y ahora lejana, a la que llama a unirse con ellos. Finalmente vuelve a Emilia y le plantea la huida como almas gemelas a un paraíso de bucólica y poética evasión.
El poema mantiene esa idealizada atmósfera poética tan característica del autor, la dicción brillante, el vocabulario lujoso como siempre. A menudo es brillante, a ratos un muestreo de su acostumbrado repertorio de motivos (luz de luna en la noche, rocío sobre flores, nubes que cruzan el cielo nocturno, brisas de primavera, guirnaldas, ruiseñores, águilas, halos, tempestades, el rumor en cuevas de lejanas costas bañadas por las olas, Espíritus, Esplendores, Sombras, los mitos de Faetonte, Endimión…). De nuevo se tiene la sensación de que en sus poemas largos Shelley se repite, aprovecha su conocimiento como buen profesional para mantener un lirismo que corre el riesgo de convertirse en mecánico y retórico.
Aun así, Epipsychidion imperfecto como es, está vivo, donde el perfecto Adonais estaba mayormente muerto. Personalmente sigo prefiriendo el Shelley de los más breves poemas. Epipsychidion se podría recortar una tercera parte y ganaría. A Ozymandias no le sobra una palabra.
August 16, 2024
The best issue about this poem is the fact that it is more a deference to ideal womanhood than a poem addressed to an individual woman. The poet himself, in a letter to an acquaintance describes this piece as "an idealized history of my life and feelings", This poem is strongly influenced by the ‘Symposium’ of Plato and the ‘Vita Nuort’ of Dante. It is an enunciation of the principle that the nature of the spiritual, embodies in some respects, exactly opposite to the nature of material things. "Pleasure, love and thought", increase when they are divided among many persons, instead of diminishing like "gold and clay". It is a good example of what the Greeks called ‘gnomic poetry’, or poetry expressing profound thought in a terse condensed form. Shelley uses various traditions and exploits the trend towards equality and intellectual communion between men and women, which accounts for the books and music. More importantly, however, for us ‘eternal romantics’, this poem celebrates Platonic love. The fascination which typifies, Shelley and the enchantment which a great poem kindles in the heart of man have made Emilia Viviani, to whom this piece of brilliance was written, one of the interesting women in the world. In this piece of work, Shelley speaks of Emily as a woman towards whom he feels love, and sometimes only of his Epipsychidion-the divine image of his soul, whom he feels through her and who is veiled in her. Epipsychidion is the final shape into which his idealism of love is thrown. The greatness of the failure following on the greatness of the effort, made him put this kind of thing away forever. Finally, it is a personal poem. It demonstrates Shelley's weaknesses and strong points more than any other poem does. And both those at their loftiness, because writing and writing fervently about his own inward life, he was under no restraint in subject.
To end with:
If you are a despondent, hare-brained lover, yelling love odes to your beloved, thinking and craving and dying in her thoughts, read this rendition at least once in your lives.
I am a downhearted romantic myself. I fall in love relentlessly. I make my vision-castles more often than not with words rented from Goethe and Tagore and Kalidasa and Shelley.
And when it comes to Shelley, Epipsychidion always finds a celebrated place……
“We—are we not formed, as notes of music are,
For one another, though dissimilar;
Such difference without discord, as can make
Those sweetest sounds, in which all spirits shake
As trembling leaves in a continuous air?”
To end with:
If you are a despondent, hare-brained lover, yelling love odes to your beloved, thinking and craving and dying in her thoughts, read this rendition at least once in your lives.
I am a downhearted romantic myself. I fall in love relentlessly. I make my vision-castles more often than not with words rented from Goethe and Tagore and Kalidasa and Shelley.
And when it comes to Shelley, Epipsychidion always finds a celebrated place……
“We—are we not formed, as notes of music are,
For one another, though dissimilar;
Such difference without discord, as can make
Those sweetest sounds, in which all spirits shake
As trembling leaves in a continuous air?”
July 11, 2019
One of my favorite epic poems in the English language; makes me feel privileged to be a speaker of it, to be able to fluently read something so beautiful and inspired in its own original text. Shelley used all of his gift for poetry in this: rhyme, rhythm, prosody, imagery, metaphor, all so elaborate and elegant. A poem that cannot be skipped over—much too important, too perfect.
April 13, 2023
"And music from her respiration spread
like light, all other sounds were penetrated
by the small, still sweet spirit of that sound,
so that the savage winds hung mute around,
and odour swarm and fresh fell from her hair, dissolving the dull cold in the frore air"
like light, all other sounds were penetrated
by the small, still sweet spirit of that sound,
so that the savage winds hung mute around,
and odour swarm and fresh fell from her hair, dissolving the dull cold in the frore air"
August 6, 2019
偶像你想出轨也不用这样吗XD 不过我就当成Vita Nuova类似物来理解了~
December 31, 2025
In an 1822 letter, a year after the poem's publication, Shelley wrote:
For its historical context, I want to hate Epipsychidion, the monument to male volatility that it is. At the same time, I cannot accept this idea that we must disqualify former selves for having feelings we can no longer muster. The emotions were felt all the same, even if they dissipated; this poem was true to a former Shelley, who is as true as any "Shelley" can be.
The Epipsychidion I cannot look at… If you are curious, however, to hear what I am and have been, it will tell you something thereof. It is an idealized history of my life and feelings. I think one is always in love with something or other; the error, and I confess it is not easy for spirits cased in flesh and blood to avoid it, consists in seeking in a mortal image the likeness of what is, perhaps, eternal.
For its historical context, I want to hate Epipsychidion, the monument to male volatility that it is. At the same time, I cannot accept this idea that we must disqualify former selves for having feelings we can no longer muster. The emotions were felt all the same, even if they dissipated; this poem was true to a former Shelley, who is as true as any "Shelley" can be.
August 26, 2015
Este poema me ha enamorado y lo subrayo como uno de mis favoritos... <3
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews