Love’s Philosophy- Shelley 1 May 2023

Mini Starter

Discuss in

pairs/groups…

Challenge:Is nature used differently in modern

writing to how it was used in the past? Why?

Must:Understand and be able to thoughtfully explain the meaning and main themes of the poem.(AO1)

Should:Explore and consider multiple interpretations of the poem. (AO1/AO2)

Could:Analyse the language, form and structure of the poem. (AO2)

Why is nature used to describe the idea

of love in poetry?

Context

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) was, like his friend Lord Byron, one of the most important Romantic poets. He made himself unpopular with some of his ideas on subjects such as atheism, vegetarianism and the need for social and political change, which at the time were controversial.This simple love poem shows a different, more personal side to Shelley, who usually wrote about more serious subjects such as politics.

List 5 key events that influenced the Romantic movement.

Explain the point of view of the Romantics.

(likes/dislikes…)

Consider the effect of the Romantics

on modern day views.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiRWBI0JTYQ

Initial Impressions: Structure & Meaning

1. How do the last lines of each stanza differ from the rest of the poem?

2. In what ways does line 8 differ from line 16?

3. What is the effect of these shorter lines on the reader?

THINK

What is Shelley’s ‘philosophy’ in this

poem?

(e.g. a divine law forces all things to blend together, so we must also do the same.)

PAIR

Compare your idea with your partner.

Are they the same?Could you combine them/add to one?

SHARE

Can we evaluate and decide upon a one-line summary of his philosophy based on

all of our ideas?

Nature & Verbs • Circle the verbs used in this poem. • What are our connotations of these verbs?• Which language technique has Shelley employed?

Challenge: What is the effect of this language device?

‘Nature is presented by Shelley as being meaningless without the love of another person.’

To what extent do you agree/disagree with this statement?Discuss in pairs and write down your thoughts in bullet points.

What is the poem about?

The narrator is addressing a woman-he’s trying to persuade her to be with him romantically.

The narrator gives examples to show how everything in nature is connected in an intimate and loving way. He believes that this God’s law and that this law should be obeyed.

He asks the woman he’s addressing why she’s ignoring God’s law by refusing to have a loving relationship with him. He finally questions what use all the bonds in nature are if he can’t be with her.

Feelings and Attitudes

The narrator longs for love. He’s frustrated that his love isn’t returned when he sees all the bonds that exist in nature.

The poem can also be read in a playful way – the narrator oversimplifies the idea that because things in nature come together, he and the woman he wants should also come together.

Key Themes

‘Winter Swans’ is another poem that uses natural imagery to express love. Comparing the sense of longing in this poem with the desire and frustration in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ and ‘The Farmer’s Bride’.

S.M.I.L.E

Symbolism

AlliterationAssonance

Simile Extended Metaphor

Personification

Ballad Sonnet

Free verseDramatic monologue

Juxtaposition

Oxymoron

Emotive LanguageRepetition

Rhyming Couplet

Enjambment

Voice Tone

ANALYSING YOUR POEM

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 spirit meet and mingle - Why not I with thine?—

Imagery of flowing water shows that everything is connected to everything else.

The narrator uses personification to draw parallels between what happens in nature and his own desire to be with his lover

Increasing scale of imagery – showing water joining larger and larger bodies hints that loving someone makes you part of something bigger than yourself.

“river” and “ever” are half-rhymes, as are “heaven” and “forgiven” in the second stanza-this reflects how the couple aren’t united.

Personification suggests that nature enjoys and benefits from this union

This line sums up the narrator’s argument

The narrator thinks it’s God’s law that everything in nature mingles together

In both stanzas, the first 6 or 7 lines are confident assertions, which contrast with the rhetorical questions in the final lines

Repetition of “mingle” emphasises how everything in nature is united

Dash creates a pause, which emphasises the question at the end of the stanza

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 is all this sweet work worth If thou kiss not me?

Use of physical language hints at his frustration that he can’t “kiss” and “clasp” his lover.

The narrator claims that his loved one’s lack of love towards him goes against God’s law and is therefore unforgivable

Hints that the woman the narrator is addressing has rejected him.

The mirrored repetition of “kiss” and “clasp” reflects the narrator’s belief that humans should mirror nature.

Repetition highlights just how many examples he can show her of unity in nature Emphasises that

everything is connected, even the Sun and Moon – not just nature on Earth.

The final line in each stanza is monosyllabic and only has five syllables-this increases the impact of the questions and makes them stand out. They’re separated from the rest of the poem, just as the narrator is separated from the rest of the poem.

Poem Dictionary

Fountains - natural springsLaw divine - a law of God which can’t be changed by man Thine - yoursDisdain’d - looked down on or scorned

Reflection: SMILE Paragraph• Point:

Topic sentence with an adjective.

• Evidence: Quotation- try to embed it in the sentence.

• Explain: Select a keyword- why does it stand out?What is the effect on the reader?

• Language Analysis- Analyse what the word suggests & how it links back to the adjective.