Stanzas Written in Dejection, near Naples

BY  PE RC Y B YS SH E SH EL LE Y
describes the feelings of alienation a speaker suffers from and how he attempts to soothe his
pain with nature.

The sun is warm, the sky is clear, description of the setting- an enchanting ambience.
First 8 lines of stanza 1 are reflective of a charming, joyous mood
i. Waves are dancing/noon’s transparent
might: The speaker's use
of personification creates the sense that
nature is truly alive all around him. The
little islands and "mountains" aren't just
tinted "purple"—they're "wear[ing]" the
day's vibrant colours like clothes-an
attempt at showing the reader an image
         The waves are dancing fast and bright,
      Blue isles and snowy mountains wear
      The purple noon's transparent might,
         The breath of the moist earth is light,
      Around its unexpanded buds; ii.  Unexpanded buds: literally describe how
the earth is fertile - suggests the unrealized potential of nature; it's an image of hope and anticipation
         Like many a voice of one delight,
      The winds, the birds, the ocean floods,
The City's voice itself, is soft like Solitude's. iii. Last 3 lines are a stark contrast
One delight: all the elements of
nature are in harmony to establish a calming/soothing effect for the poet
iv. City's voice itself, is soft like
Solitude's: simile: contrast is made in a sudden turn –poet’s use of Solitude brings about a sad change in
tone- literally suggests how one experiences difference between the city life and nature- implies how
City’s voice is reflective of poet’s own inner feelings- solitude suggests empty/void feelings perhaps
resulting from a personal dilemma-
         I see the Deep's untrampled (not crushed/trodden)floor
         With green and purple seaweeds strown; (scatter or spread (things) untidily over a
surface or area) *The opening lines of the stanza revert to the
original joyous mood v. Deep’s untrampled floor: untrampled
is suggestive of nature being preserved at the depths of the ocean- man’s activity has not yet
touched and ruined the conserved state of the ocean floor vi: seaweeds strown: alliteration-
shows how the weeds prove the original/untouched state of the ocean bed- they protect nature by
covering every inch of it- see the Deep’s untrampled floor also a hyperbole, as it’s impossible to see
the ocean bed from earth’s surface.
     I see the waves upon the shore, vii: …light dissolved in star-showers
shown: simile- description of waves to be as bright as stars that absorb all the light and then reflect it
 brightly- hence the word ‘thrown’- indicates how elements in nature are scintillating and making their
presence felt.
      Like light dissolved in star-showers, thrown:
         I sit upon the sands alone,— viii: alone: amidst all the natural beauty, this
one word is reflective of poet’s feelings of isolation- seems like nothing on the outside can replace the void he has
insight
      The lightning of the noontide ocean
         Is flashing round me, and a tone
      Arises from its measured motion, ix: measured motion: alliteration to show the
rhythmic movement of the ocean waves- suggests how the sounds and colours in nature become more pronounced to
someone who is in a state of isolation/grief- one can feel the ugliness of one’s situation in comparison to the beauty
around him.
How sweet! did any heart now share in my emotion.

         Alas! I have nor hope nor health, x. nor hope nor health: doesn’t have the
important elements needed for survival, hope and health- the absence of these two further leads to lack of peace in
poet’s life

         Nor peace within nor calm around,

      Nor that content surpassing wealth content surpassing wealth: lack of hope,
health and peace has led to the poet feeling dissatisfied/contentment in his life-
      The sage in meditation found,
         And walked with inward glory crowned—
      Nor fame, nor power, nor love, nor leisure. Xi. The poet is devoid of desire for worldly
things ‘power, love, leisure’, suggesting his lack of peace and happiness- since they bring happiness in one’s life.
         Others I see whom these surround—
      Smiling they live, and call life pleasure;
To me that cup has been dealt in another measure. Xii. Cup has been dealt in another
manner: “that cup” has been devoted to another type of emotion, the depression he is currently in.
Nothing seems to be working out for him in his life and he is attempting to come to terms with it in these
lines.

         Yet now despair itself is mild, xiii. Yet: In the fourth stanza, the poem takes a
turn- suggested by ‘yet’- xiv. Despair is mild itdelf: The speaker is looking
at his own situation from the perspective of an outsider and sees that things really aren’t as bad as they
could be
         Even as the winds and waters are; xv: winds and waters are: Just as these
twp elements in nature are passing and formless, so is his despair/grief/feelings of isolation- suggestion of
a temporary state
      I could lie down like a tired child, xvi. Lie down like a tired child:
simile to show poet’s exhaustion over his state of affairs – ‘weep away the life of care’ indicates This is
one way he could spend the rest of his life- no promises of solid effort made to change his situation or
overcome his grief- hence like a tired child whose only source of venting out is crying
      And weep away the life of care
         Which I have borne and yet must bear, xvii: have borne yet must bear:
indication of a life long suffering that is not over till the time his thoughts were being composed in this
poem—coming to terms with his pathetic condition but no resolve to alter it- he has given up – ‘till death’
suggests how death could be the only
      Till death like sleep might steal on me,
         And I might feel in the warm air xviii: cheek grow cold & dying brain:
suggestive of death being the only escape
      My cheek grow cold, and hear the sea
Breathe o'er my dying brain its last monotony. Xix: cheeks grow cold and dying brain:
indicators of death- his death is imagined in the same setting – wish to cross over surrounded by nature
hence ‘hear the sea breathe o’er’

         Some might lament that I were cold, The last section brings the speaker to a
more optimistic outlook- xx: Some: He removes himself further
from his own situation and considers how others might see him hence the use of word ‘some’ . T
         As I, when this sweet day is gone,
      Which my lost heart, too soon grown old,
      Insults with this untimely moan; xxi: simile: others’ mourning over
his death is shown with the comparison of his own sadness over losing this beautiful day in
Naples- his own suffering has been proven to be profound since the first stanza.

They might lament—for I am one

      Whom men love not,—and yet regret, xxii. Whom men love not & yet regret: poet
expressing his view of how people might associate with him- lack of affiliation, however, a respect is
present- uses this example to explain his own feelings about the day sitting amid beautiful nature-
         Unlike this day, which, when the sun xxiii. Unlike: shows contrast by using the
word ‘unlike’

      Shall on its stainless glory set,

Will linger, though enjoyed, like joy in memory yet. Xxiv: linger/like joy in memory
yet : He is able to gain some pleasure from the surrounding nature, after all, his every moment does not
need to be weighed down with his cares. 

Theme:

feelings of alienation a speaker suffers from and how he attempts to soothe

his pain with nature.