Overview

Percy Shelley (1792-1822) was one of the major English Romantic poets. This biography emphasises the political, revolutionary side of his dramatic life. Shelley has long been revered for his poems To A Skylark and The Mask of Anarchy, but this was not always the case. During his short and tragic life he was regarded with loathing as an immoral atheist and his work received damning reviews as a result. His was a story of extremes - his radical ideas were unusual as he was the son of a wealthy landowner and set to become a Whig MP. Today, a focus on his belief in sexual freedom and vegetarianism often eclipses his informed internationalist and revolutionary politics. Admired by Oscar Wilde, Thomas Hardy, W. B. Yeats and Karl Marx, Shelley's legacy remains with us today - his words have been used by popular movements from the Chartists and the Suffragettes to Tiananmen Square, the Poll Tax protesters and modern Greek solidarity movements.

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9780745334615

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Reviews

'Humankind needed Shelley back then, and this book reminds us of how much we need him now. It is an honest look at a truly revolutionary life' -- Benjamin Zephaniah 'A compelling and eye-opening study, thoroughly researched and engagingly written. Reminds us of Shelley's robust socio-political vision, that remains as relevant and vital for our own volatile times as it was for his some two centuries ago.' -- Stephen C. Behrendt; George Holmes Distinguished Professor of English, University of Nebraska 'Fresh, clear and compelling, this is the best compact account of Percy Bysshe Shelley's revolutionary life currently available.' -- Nicholas Roe, Professor of English Literature at the University of St Andrews 'Highly readable, this is an absorbing study of Shelley's life, thought, and writing. Jacqueline Mulhallen has written a valuable book.' -- Michael O'Neill, Professor of English, Durham University 'A fresh and impassioned account of the significance of Shelley's radical life and writings. A fine and highly readable achievement.' -- Michael Rossington, Professor of Romantic Literature, Newcastle University [An] excellent short biographical account of Shelley's political radicalism...that brings a contemporary radical sensibility into bracing conjunction with nineteenth-century history. -- Philip Connell, Romantic Circles

To really appreciate the work of Percy Shelley you have to understand the political and cultural context of his time. This book takes you there. Humankind needed Shelley back then, and this book reminds us of how much we need him now. It is an honest, straightforward, revolutionary look at a truly revolutionary life. The world needs more Shelley, the world needs this book. -- Benjamin Zephaniah In this compelling and eye-opening study, Jacqueline Mulhallen demonstrates how Percy Bysshe Shelley's passionate humanitarianism enlightens every aspect of the revolutionary agenda that informs all his writing, poetry and prose alike. Thoroughly researched and engagingly written, Mulhallen's book reminds us anew of that great Romantic's robust socio-political vision, a vision that remains as relevant and vital for our own volatile times as it was for his some two centuries ago - if not even more so. -- Stephen C. Behrendt; George Holmes Distinguished Professor of English, University of Nebraska Fresh, clear and compelling, this is the best compact account of Percy Bysshe Shelley's revolutionary life currently available. Jacqueline Mulhallen places Shelley vividly in his own times, and shows how and why his imagination, vision and new exciting art offer such inspiring examples to us now. -- Nicholas Roe, Professor of English Literature at the University of St Andrews Full of suggestive insights and highly readable, this is an absorbing study of Shelley's life, thought, and writing. Jacqueline Mulhallen has written a valuable book; she is especially good on Shelley's revolutionary significance. -- Michael O'Neill, Professor of English, Durham University This book provides a fresh and impassioned account of the significance of Shelley's radical life and writings. It handles an array of historical and biographical contexts with clarity and skill, and takes on board the findings of recent scholarship. A fine and highly readable achievement. -- Michael Rossington, Professor of Romantic Literature, Newcastle University

In this compelling and eye-opening study, Jacqueline Mulhallen demonstrates how Percy Bysshe Shelley's passionate humanitarianism enlightens every aspect of the revolutionary agenda that informs all his writing, poetry and prose alike. Thoroughly researched and engagingly written, Mulhallen's book reminds us anew of that great Romantic's robust socio-political vision, a vision that remains as relevant and vital for our own volatile times as it was for his some two centuries ago - if not even more so. -- Stephen C. Behrendt; George Holmes Distinguished Professor of English, University of Nebraska To really appreciate the work of Percy Shelley you have to understand the political and cultural context of his time. This book takes you there. Humankind needed Shelley back then, and this book reminds us of how much we need him now. It is an honest, straightforward, revolutionary look at a truly revolutionary life. The world needs more Shelley, the world needs this book. -- Benjamin Zephaniah Fresh, clear and compelling, this is the best compact account of Percy Bysshe Shelley's revolutionary life currently available. Jacqueline Mulhallen places Shelley vividly in his own times, and shows how and why his imagination, vision and new exciting art offer such inspiring examples to us now. -- Nicholas Roe, Professor of English Literature at the University of St Andrews

'Humankind needed Shelley back then, and this book reminds us of how much we need him now. It is an honest look at a truly revolutionary life' -- Benjamin Zephaniah 'A compelling and eye-opening study, thoroughly researched and engagingly written. Reminds us of Shelley's robust socio-political vision, that remains as relevant and vital for our own volatile times as it was for his some two centuries ago.' -- Stephen C. Behrendt; George Holmes Distinguished Professor of English, University of Nebraska 'Fresh, clear and compelling, this is the best compact account of Percy Bysshe Shelley's revolutionary life currently available.' -- Nicholas Roe, Professor of English Literature at the University of St Andrews 'Highly readable, this is an absorbing study of Shelley's life, thought, and writing. Jacqueline Mulhallen has written a valuable book.' -- Michael O'Neill, Professor of English, Durham University 'A fresh and impassioned account of the significance of Shelley's radical life and writings. A fine and highly readable achievement.' -- Michael Rossington, Professor of Romantic Literature, Newcastle University

'Humankind needed Shelley back then, and this book reminds us of how much we need him now. It is an honest look at a truly revolutionary life' -- Benjamin Zephaniah 'I love reading. I'm about to start Percy Bysshe Shelley: Poet and Revolutionary by Jacqueline Mulhallen' -- Jeremy Corbyn 'A compelling and eye-opening study. Reminds us of Shelley's robust socio-political vision, that remains as relevant and vital for our own volatile times' -- Stephen C. Behrendt; George Holmes Distinguished Professor of English, University of Nebraska 'Fresh, clear and compelling, this is the best compact account of Percy Bysshe Shelley's revolutionary life currently available' -- Nicholas Roe, Professor of English Literature at the University of St Andrews 'Highly readable, this is an absorbing study of Shelley's life, thought, and writing. Jacqueline Mulhallen has written a valuable book' -- Michael O'Neill, Professor of English, Durham University 'A fresh and impassioned account of the significance of Shelley's radical life and writings. A fine and highly readable achievement' -- Michael Rossington, Professor of Romantic Literature, Newcastle University 'An excellent biographical account of Shelley's political radicalism ... that brings a contemporary radical sensibility into bracing conjunction with nineteenth-century history' -- Philip Connell, Romantic Circles 'Lively, well-paced and highly readable ... packed with fascinating insights into Shelley's times' -- Counterfire 'Enjoyable' -- Peace News 'Illuminating ... [a] stimulating introduction to Shelley's life and radical politics' -- Romantic Circles

Author Information

Jacqueline Mulhallen wrote and performed in the plays Sylvia and Rebels and Friends and is the author of Percy Bysshe Shelley: Poet and Revolutionary (Pluto, 2015) and The Theatre of Shelley (Open Book Publishers, 2010). She contributed a chapter on Shelley to The Oxford Handbook to Georgian Theatre (OUP, 2014), which was shortlisted for the Theatre Book Prize 2015.

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