英美文学论文

The Analysis of “the west wind” in “Ode to the West Wind”

Percy Bysshe Shelley may be considered to be the most unconventional yet typical romantic poet of his age. He was an intense and idealistic man of immeasurable imagination and very energy (1). Almost everybody knows his famous saying: “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?” in the “Ode to the West Wind”. In this poem, Shelley used a series of images to convey his ideas, such as, dead leaves, winged seeds, loose clouds, rain and lighting, blue Mediterranean, old places and towers, a wave, lyre, withered leaves and so on. Among them the west wind is the most important one. It is a kind ubiquitous universe spirit, and spirit of break through the old society and pursuit the new one. It is also considered to be the “destroyer” and “preserver”. This paper is going to analysis the west wind from its symbolism and functions.

Shelley gave us a vivid description of the west wind„s effect on the land, in the sky, as well as on the sea. Then he expressed his strong desire for the great to be like the west wind.

First of all, let us take a look at the west wind‟ effect on the land. The wind is not just a current of air. It is more related to the inspiration and spirit and soul. The wind scatters the dead leaves, which are the remnants of the previous season. They are representation of the pages of writings and the “ghosts” of writer of the past. All of these are driven away by the west wind. At this point, we can feel something old seem

to be declining and new world and thoughts are just around corner. At the end of the first stanza, Shelley believed the west wind both as “destroyer” and “preserver”. They stand for the revolution. We may realize the powerful spirit of nature that incorporates both destruction and continuing life.

Then Shelley put his focus on the wind brewing up in the heavens. The wind helps the clouds shed rain. Just as it had the trees shed leaves in the previous section. Just as the dead foliage nourishes new life in the forest soil, so does the rain contribute to nature‟s regenerative cycle (2). In this stanza, the sky is becoming noisy under the west wind; the “clouds” is resembled to a Maenad‟s bright hair flowing everywhere under the wind; the wind is compared to a song of grief, as if it were mourning the “dying” year. From this, we may feel the wind is now no longer at the horizon and far away but it is before us.

The last effect of the wind is on the sea, unlike previous two effects, this one is calm, peaceful and sensuality. The Mediterranean Sea is described as smooth and tranquil alongside Italian town of Baiae. There is an underwater world and the wind produce illusions on the water. With its pressure, the wind “would waken the appearance of a city”. From here we can see that wind also plays the role of a Creator (3). On the other hand, all these are disturbed by the wind: the Atlantic had to cleave themselves into chasms, and the oozy woods resemble their voice. The wind is so powerful we can feel the poet‟s great confidence in revolution.

At last, Shelley expressed his pray and wishes to be like the wind no matter what will happen. He even asked he wind to spread his strong faith, ideas all over the

world.

The value of the west wind not only lies in its destructive power, more importantly, it is the new life which is preserved under the destruction. The west wind symbolize that there would always be a solution after the struggles, and that the revolution will be a success, a new world will come soon.

Reference:

1．黄宗英：《英美诗歌名篇选读》.高等教育出版社.2007-6.P122. 2．Napierkowski, Marie Rose and Maryk. Ruby.eds.Poetry Detroit；Gale, 1998.

3．http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ode_to_the_West_Wind

4．刁克利. 《英美文学欣赏》.北京：中国人民大学出版社，2003. 5．http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=17455.

for Students.Vol.1,2.