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Summary Stanzas written in Dejection, Near Naples - notes
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Notes on the poem 'Stanzas written in Dejection, Near Naples' by Percy Shelley Includes structure, summary, description, imagery, tone, language
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H/W 26th May 2017Stanzas written in Dejection, Near Naples – Questions
Write a short ‘headline’ or summary for each stanza in this poem
Stanza 1 – is happy and positive, marvelling nature around them (speaker)
Stanza 2 – speaker is looking into the sea as lightning is flashing all around him
Stanza 3 – seemingly negative, has a lack of hope and peace
Stanza 4 – seems tired, and in need of a rest from these negative feelings
Stanza 5 – people look at the speaker in grief, but regret that they do, unlike the day this poem was written
What do you think was Shelley’s intention in structuring the stanzas in this way?
I think that Shelley structured the poem in the way of five irregular stanzas (with different emotional focal points)
was to possibly show contrast in the beginning the difference between the dejection he is feeling, and the beauty of
Naples, to then progress into using pathetic fallacy to suggest how this dejection is truly affecting him, such as how
the ‘lightning of the noontide ocean is flashing round [him]’; this idea is emphasised by how he then goes on to say
how ‘did any heart now share in [his] emotion’.
Explore the first two stanzas, in which Shelley describes the beauty of Naples
Shelley describes the beauty of Naples such as the waves ‘dancing fast and bright’, and how the isles and mountains
‘wear the purple noon’s transparent might’; the noun ‘dancing’ suggests fluidity of movement and gracefulness, acts
that a dancer is trained to do. ‘Dancing’ also suggests that the waves were not threatening or fear-inducing, further
describing the beauty. The verb ‘wear’ suggests that the mountains and isles were flaunting and emphasising he
transparent might of the noon, as opposed to just reflecting it.
Pick out several examples of imagery and comment on their effects – what tone is created in these opening stanzas?
‘the sun is warm, the sky is clear’ is the opening line, and gives a first impression of happiness and contentment
through the calm and happy tone, particularly through the warmth of the sun and the clear sky, suggesting that – on
a metaphorical level – there is nothing to worry about, such as clouds dimming the day, or an approaching storm.
‘Unexpanded buds’ suggests that, due to the closure of said buds, something more beautiful and better will happen
soon; the fact that the buds haven’t opened yet suggests there is something more to be seen; this also gives the
beginning of the poem a calm and humble tone, as opposed to the flowers dying and being at the end of the life,
they are at the beginning. ‘The Winds, the birds, the ocean floods, the city’s voice itself, is soft like Solitude’s’
suggests that everything in nature is calm and soft, not in danger or posing a threat to anything, adding emphasis to
the first line and example of how the start of the poem gives the reader a false sense of hope.
Are there any hints in stanza 2 at the change in tone that is to come?
The phrase ‘Deep’s untrampled floor’ suggests that he has been alone for a while, and that the ocean is ‘deep’,
creating a sense of a great emptiness and deep holes. ‘I sit upon the sands alone’ also gives a sense of tone changing,
due to idea that being alone is a negative thing, therefore this is reinforcing the negative tone that may overpower
the positive ones in the first stanza.
How is Shelley’s state of dejection conveyed in Stanza 3? Explore the use of language and structure
His state of dejection is conveyed through his lack of ‘hope nor health, nor peace within nor calm around, nor that
content surpassing wealth the sage in meditation found.’ These suggest that his dejection is great, as he lacks health
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