Introduction to “The Question” by Percy Bysshe Shelley: An Analysis of Romantic Enquiry

“The Question” is a lyrical poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley. It’s known for its vivid imagery and exploration of nature and human emotion.

Background

“The Question” was first published posthumously in 1824 in the collection Posthumous Poems edited by Mary Shelley, his wife. It was written in 1815, a period when Shelley was deeply immersed in nature and philosophical contemplation, themes that are evident throughout the poem.

The Poem

The Question By PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY

Explanation of the Poem Line by Line

Stanza 1:

• “I dreamed that, as I wandered by the way,”: The poem begins with a dream-like sequence, immediately setting a tone of fantasy and introspection.
• “Bare winter suddenly was changed to spring,”: A sudden, magical transformation from the desolation of winter to the vibrant life of spring. This highlights the power of nature and perhaps the speaker’s desire for renewal.
• “And gentle colours led my steps astray.”: The beauty of the spring landscape is so captivating it draws the speaker off their intended path.
• “And mixed with a sound of waters murmuring / Along a shelving bank of turf, which lay”: The gentle sound of water adds to the serene atmosphere, suggesting a peaceful and flowing environment.
• “Under a copse, and hardly dared to fling / Its green sets round the bloom of the stream.”: Describes a small group of trees (copse) whose new green shoots are hesitant to fully embrace the flowering stream, perhaps implying a delicate shyness or the nascent stage of spring.
• “But kissed it and then fled, as thou mightest in dream.”: The green shoots briefly touch or “kiss” the stream’s bloom before receding, reinforcing the ephemeral and dream-like quality of the scene.

Stanza 2:

• “There grew pied wind-flowers and violets,”: Introduces specific flowers, “pied” meaning multicolored, adding to the visual richness.
• “Daisies, those pearled Arcturi of the earth,”: Daisies are compared to Arcturus, a bright star, suggesting their brilliance and perhaps their multitude like stars in the sky. “Pearled” refers to their white, dew-kissed appearance.
• “The constellated flower that never sets;”: Emphasizes the abundance and perhaps the enduring nature of these flowers, like constellations.
• “Faint oxlips, tender bluebells, at whose birth / The sod scares heaven;”: Oxlips and bluebells are delicate flowers. The phrase “the sod scares heaven” is a striking image, perhaps implying their sudden emergence startles the sky, or that their beauty is so profound it has a divine impact.
• “and that tall flower that wets— / Like a child, half in tenderness and mirth— / Its mother’s face with Heaven’s collected tears,”: This is a beautiful personification. The tall flower is like a child crying, with “Heaven’s collected tears” being dew or rain, suggesting a gentle, emotional connection between nature and the divine.
• “When the low wind, its playmate’s voice, it hears.”: The wind is personified as a playmate, further enhancing the childlike innocence and interaction within nature.

Stanza 3:

• “And in the warm hedge grew lush eglantine,”: More flowers are introduced, describing the rich, overgrown nature of the hedge. Eglantine is a type of rose.
• “Green cowbind and the moonlight-coloured may,”: Cowbind is a climbing plant; “moonlight-coloured may” likely refers to hawthorn blossoms, which are often pale and white.
• “And cherry-blossoms, and white cups, whose wine / Was the bright dew yet drained not by the day;”: Cherry blossoms are noted. “White cups” could be a general term for cup-shaped white flowers. The “wine” refers to the dew within them, undrunk by the sun, preserving their freshness.
• “And wild roses, and ivy serpentine, / With its dark buds and leaves, wandering astray;”: Wild roses and ivy are mentioned, with ivy described as “serpentine” due to its winding growth, adding to the sense of wild, untamed beauty.
• “And flowers azure, black, and streaked with gold, / Fairer than any wakened eyes behold.”: A final, almost fantastical description of flowers with striking, unusual colors, suggesting a beauty that transcends ordinary perception, only visible in this dream-like state.

Stanza 4:

• “And nearer to the river’s trembling edge / There grew broad flag-flowers, purple pranked with white,”: The focus shifts to flowers near the water’s edge, specifically flag-flowers (irises) with their striking purple and white markings. “Pranked” means decorated.
• “And starry river buds, among the sedge,”: Buds are described as “starry,” again using celestial imagery to convey their brilliance or abundance. Sedge is a grass-like plant growing in wet areas.
• “And floating water-lilies, broad and bright,”: The iconic water lilies, symbolizing purity and serenity.
• “Which lit the oak that overhung the hedge / With moonlight gleams of their own watery light;”: The water lilies’ bright white reflects light onto the overhanging oak, creating a magical, self-illuminating effect within the natural scene.
• “And bulrushes, and reeds of such deep green / As soothed the dazzled eye with sober sheen.”: Bulrushes and reeds provide a contrasting “deep green” and “sober sheen,” offering a calming visual to the eye, perhaps after the bright and varied colors.

Stanza 5:

• “Methought that of these visionary flowers / I made a nosegay, bound in such a way”: The speaker gathers these dream-like, “visionary” flowers into a bouquet (nosegay).
• “That the same hues, which in their natural bowers / Were mingled so oppressed, the like array”: The flowers, which were naturally mixed in their “bowers” (arbors/natural settings), become “oppressed” when arranged in the bouquet, suggesting a loss of their natural freedom and arrangement.
• “Kept those imprisoned children of the Hours / Within my hand,—and then, elate and gay,”: The flowers are personified as “imprisoned children of the Hours,” emphasizing their transient beauty and the speaker’s act of capturing them. Despite this “imprisonment,” the speaker feels “elate and gay” to possess such beauty.
• “I hastened to the spot whence I had come, / That I might there present it!—Oh! to whom?”: The speaker hurries back to the starting point, intending to give this beautiful bouquet to someone. The poem ends with a poignant, unanswered question, “Oh! to whom?”, leaving the reader to ponder the intended recipient and the nature of beauty, desire, and connection.

Analysis of Figures of Speech and Literary Devices

Shelley masterfully employs a rich array of literary devices to create the poem’s vivid imagery and emotional depth:

1. Imagery: The poem is overflowing with sensory details, particularly visual. Words like “pied wind-flowers,” “moonlight-coloured may,” “purple pranked with white,” and “deep green” create a lush and vibrant mental picture of the dream landscape. Auditory imagery is present in “waters murmuring” and “low wind, its playmate’s voice.”
2. Personification: Shelley frequently gives human qualities to inanimate objects and plants:
   1. “gentle colours led my steps astray”
   1. “the sod scares heaven”
   1. the “tall flower” described “Like a child…Its mother’s face with Heaven’s collected tears”
   1. the wind as the flower’s “playmate”
   1. flowers as “imprisoned children of the Hours”
3. Simile: Direct comparisons using “like” or “as”:
   1. “But kissed it and then fled, as thou mightest in dream.”
   1. “Like a child, half in tenderness and mirth— / Its mother’s face with Heaven’s collected tears”
4. Metaphor: Implied comparisons:
   1. “Daisies, those pearled Arcturi of the earth” (daisies are compared to stars)
   1. “The constellated flower that never sets” (flowers are constellations)
   1. “white cups, whose wine / Was the bright dew” (dew is the wine)
5. Symbolism:
   1. Spring: Represents renewal, rebirth, hope, and vibrant life, contrasting with the “bare winter.”
   1. Flowers: Symbolize beauty, transience, innocence, and the ephemeral nature of joy. The act of gathering them into a nosegay and their subsequent “imprisonment” might symbolize the attempt to capture and hold onto fleeting beauty or moments.
   1. The Dream: Establishes a realm beyond reality, where heightened beauty and emotions can exist, allowing for a more profound exploration of the speaker’s inner world.
   1. The Unanswered Question (“Oh! to whom?”): This is a powerful symbol of yearning, unfulfilled desire, or perhaps the universal human quest for connection and purpose in sharing beauty. It leaves the poem open-ended and invites the reader to contemplate the nature of the speaker’s longing.
6. Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds for poetic effect and emphasis:
   1. “wind-flowers and violets”
   1. “floating water-lilies, broad and bright”
   1. “soothed the dazzled eye with sober sheen”
7. Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza. This creates a flowing, conversational rhythm that mimics the natural movement of thought or the gentle flow of the scene. Many lines in the poem demonstrate enjambment, contributing to its lyrical quality.
8. Rhyme Scheme: The poem generally follows an ABAB CDCD (and so on) rhyme scheme within each stanza, contributing to its musicality and traditional lyrical feel. For example, in the first stanza: way (A), spring (B), astray (A), murmuring (B).
9. Iambic Pentameter (with variations): While not strictly uniform, the poem predominantly employs iambic pentameter (ten syllables per line, alternating unstressed and stressed syllables), giving it a natural, conversational rhythm that is characteristic of much Romantic poetry.

In summary, Shelley’s “The Question” is a beautiful and evocative poem that uses rich imagery, personification, and poignant symbolism to explore themes of nature’s beauty, the transience of life, and the human desire for connection and meaning. The unanswered question at the end leaves a lasting impression, inviting contemplation on the purpose of beauty and the longing of the human heart.