Shelley’s Revolutionary Idealism in Prometheus Unbound

Abstract

Nineteenth century was a very tumultuous period in which England was experiencing colossal changes in terms of its economy and politics. Industrial revolution was gaining speed and affecting workers negatively. Their demands for higher wages and better working conditions led to their replacement with machines. Also, the government employed very strict measures to curb possible political movements that might be influenced by the principles of the French Revolution and, hence pose a threat to the established order. Despite coming from the ruling class, Percy Bysshe Shelley was not detached from the sufferings of the working class. He actively sought remedies for social evils and injustices. He was “averse” to despotism and the patriarchal order. He believed in a future millenium in which people would live in peace and harmony. In this paper, Shelley’s revolutionary idealism in Prometheus Unbound will be brought to the fore with textual analysis in the context of the nineteenth century.