Shelley and the Italian City-State

Abstract

In November, 1819, Percy Bysshe Shelley began composing A Philosophical View Reform. Unfinished at his death, it is distillation political and philosophical ideals by poet/philosopher whose life and convictions were intertwined with literary and artistic achievements Italy. In A Defence Poetry (written in Feb-March 1821), Shelley revisits and even repeats word-for-word at times, his ideas concerning political and social freedom that he had in A Philosophical View, how both liberty and function within society. In draft A Philosophical View, Shelley explores correlation between political progression culture toward independence and its capacity to flourish artistically. In passage that. Shelley later revised A Defence he says: most unfailing herald, or companion, or follower, an universal sentiments nation to production is poetry, meaning by an intense and impassioned power communicating intense and impassioned impressions respecting man and nature (Cameron et al. 992). Although Shelley asserts correlation between liberty and creativity, he avoids assigning responsibility causation to one or other. In this passage, and comparable passage in A Defence, Shelley says that is herald or companion, or follower this employment sentiments that either produce beneficial change or, perhaps combined with poetry, produce such beneficial change. Either way, reader cannot be sure whether is product liberty or whether liberty product poetry--nevertheless. Shelley believes two go hand in hand. In A Philosophical View Shelley related tyrannical governments and tendeney oppressive organizations, or schemes (Cameron et al. 963) to execute a plan according to which cunning and selfish few have employed fears and hopes ignorant many to establishment their own power and destruction real interest (964). For Shelley, such and despotism is serious blight to literature and arts--which are reflection. as he also asserts in A Defence Poetry, society's health and well-being. Shelley says, example, that reign Charles II was the period in [English] history which was of grossest degradation ... when all forms in which had been accustomed to be became hymns to triumph kingly power over liberty and virtue. Ultimately, Shelley, when liberty and virtue are cast aside in favor kingly power poetry to be expressed form dramatic composition (Shelley. Major, 685). Once Shelley identified captivity, dependence and restriction as enemies to arts and creativity, he argues in A Philosophical View necessity Reform (Cameron et al. 963) in England and draws upon Italian city-state and Lombard League--which, as Shelley says, was successful for sonic time in a systematic and effectual resistance to all-surrounding tyranny Holy Roman Empire--as paradigm upon which to build new and reformed England (Cameron et al. 964). Moreover, Shelley uses specific example Florence as city-state which (before being betrayed to those flattered traitors [and] polished tyrants, Medici) long balanced, divided[,] and weakened strength Empire and Popedom (964). Florence's power through independence and ability to balance divide, and weaken strength tyrannical al Rome is cause, according to Shelley, (and in this instance he does use word cause) undisputed superiority hah in literature and arts over all its contemporary nations (964). Here again, Shelley presents combination liberty and arts. Perhaps Shelly sees that in case Italy, liberty and independence foster artistic creation, whereas in other situations relationship is reversed: where creative and literary arts engender revolution toward independence. …