Notes to the Complete Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley

Name: Notes to the Complete Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley
Author: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

By Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

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British Literature Essays, Letters & Speeches Poetry

About This Book

A concise editorial volume presenting a preface and detailed annotations that restore readings, explain composition histories, and situate individual poems. The preface sketches the poet’s character and convictions—commitment to human happiness and political liberty, intense sensibility, and a metaphysical, imaginative temperament—and distinguishes visionary pieces from those born of personal emotion. The notes supply variant texts, contexts of creation, and thematic commentary on love, grief, nature, and idealism, while acknowledging the effects of youth, ill health, and editorial judgment on the collected poems.

About the Author

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851) was an English novelist, best known for her groundbreaking work, "Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus," which is often regarded as one of the first science fiction novels. The daughter of feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft and political philosopher William Godwin, Shelley was deeply influenced by the intellectual currents of her time. Her writing often explored themes of creation, responsibility, and the human condition. In addition to "Frankenstein," she authored several other notable works, including "Falkner" and "Lodore." Shelley's literary contributions have left a lasting impact on literature and continue to inspire discussions on ethics and the nature of humanity.