Percy Bysshe Shelley

Fact File

- He was born August 4, 1792.

- He was the eldest child.
- In 1792 in France a vote by the Legislative Assembly took place, to
abolish the monarchy.
- He was fascinated by science, electricity, astronomy, and chemistry.
- Percy was expelled from Oxford in 1811 because he refused to deny
authorship of a pamphlet called ‘The Necessity of Atheism’
- Shelley became increasingly politicized under his friend Hoggs
influence, he developed many radical and Anti-Christian views.
- His beliefs and political philosophy was at the heart of his poems.
- He was vegetarian, he believed in free love.
- Percy moved to Naples on 1 December where he stayed for 3 months.
During this period Shelley was ill, depressed and almost suicidal. This
state of mind reflected in one of his poems.