The Cloud Analysis- Percy Bysshe Shelly
The Cloud Analysis- Percy Bysshe Shelly
“The Cloud” by Percy Bysshe Shelly is a unique and interesting poem written in the romantic genre. In one sense, it is the cloud’s autobiography, and in another, it is Shelly’s way of expressing his love for nature, by attributing divine qualities to the cloud. Shelly praises the cloud for sustaining life on earth and makes it immortal, following a constant cycle. The powers of the cloud are extremely diverse, with its different abilities being described in each stanza.
The cloud is described as a caretaker for nature. The first stanza talks about the cloud getting water from the seas and streams and using it to bring showers for the flowers below. It also talks about the cloud giving shade to trees. Here Shelly is also describing the cloud's superiority because it is usually trees who give shade to humans and other animals, but here, the cloud is providing shade to the trees. Shelly also personifies nature by saying that the leaves are laid “In their noonday dreams” The cloud is also described as being responsible for waking the buds and opening them up. The Earth's orbit is also described metaphorically, comparing it to a mother rocking her baby. Shelly then compares the cloud hailing to the wielding of a flail, and then dissolving it in rain. The diversity of the cloud is portrayed, by changing the personality of the cloud from being a gentle caretaker in the first few lines, to being an overpowering force in the last line, laughing as it “Passes in thunder”.
Shelly then describes more of the cloud's abilities. It snows, making the pine trees ‘groan’ and creating a pillow for it to sleep in at night. The only time that the cloud is described as being not in full control is when it calls lightning, its captain, leading the way, with the cloud simply following. Even then, the lightning can only strike because of the cloud’s charged particles, an although this observation would generally be too technical and subjective for
“The Cloud” by Percy Bysshe Shelly is a unique and interesting poem written in the romantic genre. In one sense, it is the cloud’s autobiography, and in another, it is Shelly’s way of expressing his love for nature, by attributing divine qualities to the cloud. Shelly praises the cloud for sustaining life on earth and makes it immortal, following a constant cycle. The powers of the cloud are extremely diverse, with its different abilities being described in each stanza.
The cloud is described as a caretaker for nature. The first stanza talks about the cloud getting water from the seas and streams and using it to bring showers for the flowers below. It also talks about the cloud giving shade to trees. Here Shelly is also describing the cloud's superiority because it is usually trees who give shade to humans and other animals, but here, the cloud is providing shade to the trees. Shelly also personifies nature by saying that the leaves are laid “In their noonday dreams” The cloud is also described as being responsible for waking the buds and opening them up. The Earth's orbit is also described metaphorically, comparing it to a mother rocking her baby. Shelly then compares the cloud hailing to the wielding of a flail, and then dissolving it in rain. The diversity of the cloud is portrayed, by changing the personality of the cloud from being a gentle caretaker in the first few lines, to being an overpowering force in the last line, laughing as it “Passes in thunder”.
Shelly then describes more of the cloud's abilities. It snows, making the pine trees ‘groan’ and creating a pillow for it to sleep in at night. The only time that the cloud is described as being not in full control is when it calls lightning, its captain, leading the way, with the cloud simply following. Even then, the lightning can only strike because of the cloud’s charged particles, an although this observation would generally be too technical and subjective for