'To A Lady, With A Guitar' by Percy Bysshe Shelley

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Ariel to Miranda: -- Take
This slave of music, for the sake
Of him who is the slave of thee;
And teach it all the harmony
In which thou canst, and only thou,
Make the delighted spirit glow,
Till joy denies itself again
And, too intense, is turned to pain.
For by permission and command
Of thine own Prince Ferdinand,
Poor Ariel sends this silent token
Of more than ever can be spoken;
Your guardian spirit, Ariel, who
From life to life must still pursue
Your happiness, for thus alone
Can Ariel ever find his own.
From Prospero's enchanted cell,
As the mighty verses tell,
To the throne of Naples he
Lit you o'er the trackless sea,
Flitting on, your prow before,
Like a living meteor.
When you die, the silent Moon
In her interlunar swoon
Is not sadder in her cell
Than deserted Ariel.
When you live again on earth,
Like an unseen Star of birth
Ariel guides you o'er the sea
Of life from your nativity.
Many changes have been run
Since Ferdinand and you begun
Your course of love, and Ariel still
Has tracked your steps and served your will.
Now in humbler, happier lot,
This is all remembered not;
And now, alas! the poor sprite is
Imprisoned for some fault of his
In a body like a grave --From you he only dares to crave,
For his service and his sorrow,
A smile today, a song tomorrow.The artist who this idol wrought
To echo all harmonious thought,
Felled a tree, while on the steep
The woods were in their winter sleep,
Rocked in that repose divine
On the wind-swept Apennine;
And dreaming, some of Autumn past,
And some of Spring approaching fast,
And some of April buds and showers,
And some of songs in July bowers,
And all of love; and so this tree, --O that such our death may be! --Died in sleep, and felt no pain,
To live in happier form again:
From which, beneath Heaven's fairest star,
The artist wrought this loved Guitar;
And taught it justly to reply
To all who question skilfully
In language gentle as thine own;
Whispering in enamoured tone
Sweet oracles of woods and dells,
And summer winds in sylvan cells;
-- For it had learnt all harmonies
Of the plains and of the skies,
Of the forests and the mountains,
And the many-voiced fountains;
The clearest echoes of the hills,
The softest notes of falling rills,
The melodies of birds and bees,
The murmuring of summer seas,
And pattering rain, and breathing dew,
And airs of evening; and it knew
That seldom-heard mysterious sound
Which, driven on its diurnal round,
As it floats through boundless day,
Our world enkindles on its way:
-- All this it knows, but will not tell
To those who cannot question well
The Spirit that inhabits it;
It talks according to the wit
Of its companions; and no more
Is heard than has been felt before
By those who tempt it to betray
These secrets of an elder day.
But, sweetly as its answers will
Flatter hands of perfect skill,
It keeps its highest holiest tone
For one beloved Friend alone.

Editor 1 Interpretation

To A Lady, With A Guitar: A Masterful Display of Romanticism

As a poetry enthusiast, I have always been captivated by the works of the great Percy Bysshe Shelley. His ability to weave together words and create images that transcend time is unparalleled, and his poem "To A Lady, With A Guitar" is no exception. This masterful display of romanticism is a testament to Shelley's skill as a poet and his understanding of the human condition.

At its core, "To A Lady, With A Guitar" is a poem about the power of music and its ability to move us emotionally. The speaker of the poem addresses a lady who is playing the guitar and marvels at the way she can evoke such strong feelings through her music. He notes that the guitar seems to be an extension of her soul, and that she is able to express herself through it in a way that words alone cannot capture.

The imagery Shelley uses to describe the lady and her guitar is both beautiful and haunting. He writes, "Thou hast a voice, whose sound is like the sea, / Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free." This comparison of the lady's voice to the sea is particularly striking, as it suggests that her music has a kind of elemental power that is both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

Shelley also uses the poem to explore the theme of love and its relationship to music. The speaker notes that the lady's music seems to be born out of a deep love for someone, but he is unsure whether that someone is a person or an idea. He writes, "Or art thou of those cheery souls, / Who, in our days of hard strife, / Still lift with songs their hearts and bowls, / And drink to love and life?"

This ambiguity adds another layer of complexity to the poem and invites the reader to ponder the nature of love and the role that music plays in expressing it. Is the lady playing for a lover who has left her, or is she simply expressing her love for life and all its beauties? The answer is left up to interpretation, but either way, the poem celebrates the power of love and the ways in which it can be expressed through art.

One of the most striking aspects of "To A Lady, With A Guitar" is Shelley's use of language. His words are both precise and evocative, and he manages to create a sense of musicality in the poem that mirrors the lady's guitar playing. For example, he writes, "And, like the murmur of a bee, / Murmur to me." This use of repetition and alliteration creates a sense of motion and rhythm in the poem that is reminiscent of the lady's fingers moving over the strings of the guitar.

Overall, "To A Lady, With A Guitar" is a masterful display of romanticism and a testament to Shelley's skill as a poet. The poem celebrates the power of music and the ways in which it can move us emotionally, and it invites the reader to ponder the nature of love and the role that art plays in expressing it. Shelley's language is both precise and evocative, and his imagery is both beautiful and haunting. It is a poem that has stood the test of time and will continue to captivate readers for generations to come.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry To A Lady, With A Guitar: An Analysis of Shelley's Romanticism

Percy Bysshe Shelley, one of the most prominent poets of the Romantic era, wrote Poetry To A Lady, With A Guitar in 1821. The poem is a beautiful expression of love and admiration for a woman, and it is a perfect example of Shelley's romanticism. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and language of the poem to understand its significance in the context of Shelley's work.

Themes

The central theme of Poetry To A Lady, With A Guitar is love. Shelley's poem is a celebration of the beauty and grace of a woman, and it is a tribute to the power of love. The poem is full of romantic imagery, and it is a testament to Shelley's belief in the transformative power of love. Shelley's romanticism is evident in the way he portrays love as a force that can change the world and make it a better place.

Another theme that is present in the poem is the power of music. Shelley's use of the guitar as a symbol of music is significant. The guitar is a powerful instrument that can evoke strong emotions in people. Shelley uses the guitar to symbolize the power of music to move people and to express emotions that cannot be put into words. The guitar is also a symbol of the beauty and grace of the woman that Shelley is addressing in the poem.

Structure

Poetry To A Lady, With A Guitar is a sonnet, which is a fourteen-line poem that follows a specific rhyme scheme. Shelley's sonnet follows the traditional rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The poem is divided into two quatrains and two tercets. The first quatrain sets the scene and introduces the woman and the guitar. The second quatrain describes the effect that the woman and the guitar have on Shelley. The first tercet is a reflection on the power of music, and the second tercet is a declaration of love.

The structure of the poem is significant because it reflects Shelley's belief in the power of form. Shelley believed that form was essential to the expression of emotion in poetry. The sonnet form is a perfect example of this belief. The strict structure of the sonnet allows Shelley to express his emotions in a controlled and precise way. The rhyme scheme and the meter of the poem create a musical quality that enhances the emotional impact of the poem.

Language

Shelley's use of language in Poetry To A Lady, With A Guitar is significant. Shelley's language is rich in imagery and metaphor, and it is a perfect example of his romanticism. Shelley uses language to create a vivid picture of the woman and the guitar. He describes the woman as "fair as the first beam of the eastern light," and he compares her to the "rose's sweetest breath." These images create a sense of beauty and grace that is central to Shelley's romanticism.

Shelley's use of language also reflects his belief in the power of music. He describes the guitar as a "magic wand" that can "call up spirits from the vasty deep." This language creates a sense of mystery and wonder that is central to Shelley's romanticism. Shelley believed that music had the power to evoke emotions that could not be expressed in words, and his language reflects this belief.

Conclusion

Poetry To A Lady, With A Guitar is a beautiful expression of love and admiration for a woman. Shelley's use of language, structure, and themes create a powerful and emotional poem that is a perfect example of his romanticism. The poem is a celebration of the transformative power of love and the beauty of music. Shelley's belief in the power of form is evident in the strict structure of the sonnet, and his use of language creates a vivid picture of the woman and the guitar. Poetry To A Lady, With A Guitar is a masterpiece of romantic poetry, and it is a testament to Shelley's genius as a poet.

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