Percy Bysshe Shelley
famous and familiar quotations

Percy Bysshe Shelley was born into a well-off family in Horsham, West Sussex in 1792. He was expelled from Oxford University in 1811 for writing a pamphlet entitled "The Necessity of Atheism". He eloped to Scotland with Harriet Westbrook but this marriage did not endure - he again eloped - with Mary Godwin - in 1814.

In 1813 Shelley penned his revolutionary poem Queen Mab. From 1818 on he spent much time in continental Europe where he wrote many poems and also met with Lord Byron. In 1822 he was drowned whilst sailing in the Bay of Spezia near Livorno.

Here are some famous and familiar quotations from Percy Bysshe Shelley poetry:-

To suffer woes which Hope thinks infinite;
To forgive wrongs darker than death or night;
To defy Power, which seems omnipotent;
To love, and bear; to hope till Hope creates
From its own wreck the thing it contemplates;
Neither to change, nor falter, nor falter, nor repent;
This like thy glory, Titan, is to be
Good, great and joyous, beautiful and free;
This is alone Life, Joy, Empire, and Victory

Kings are like stars,- they rise and set, they have
The worship of the world, but no repose.

Power, like a desolating pestilence
Pollutes whate'er it touches; and obedience
Bane of all genius, virtue, freedom, truth
Makes slaves of men, and of the human frame
A mechanised automaton.

The rich have become richer and the poor have become poorer.

Most wretched men
Are cradled into poetry by wrong;
They learn in suffering what they teach in song.

More Percy Shelley quotes are to be found on our Introductory famous and familiar quotations page and on our "Central" poetry insights page.

Introductory quotations

Alexander Pope

Shakespeare

Start of Percy Shelley poetry
famous and familiar quotations

Percy Bysshe Shelley famous and familiar quotations

Percy Bysshe Shelley
famous and familiar quotations