NOTES ON THE STRUCTURE OF SHELLEY'S "PROMETHEUS UNBOUND."[1]
A FEW notes on certain peculiarities of structure of this greatest work of our supreme lyrical poet—peculiarities to which, so far as I am aware, attention has not hitherto been publicly called, save in one specified instance—may prove interesting to some of your readers. The substance of these notes was communicated several years ago to Mr. W. M. Rossetti on the occasion of his two-volume edition of Shelley's poems (1870).
I. Is there not some confusion in the dialogue between the Earth and Prometheus leading up to the fine "effect" of Jupiter's own Phantasm being evoked to recite the tremendous curse against Jupiter? Prometheus calls upon the Mountains, the Springs, the Air, the Whirlwinds for the curse which he would now recall. They respond one after another, giving voice to the convulsion of terror wherewith it agonized them, and the Earth, closing the responses, tells how the Caverns, the hollow Heaven, and the waves of Ocean resounded "Misery!" The convulsion of terror is obviously natural; but where-
- ↑ Reprinted from the Athenæum, by permission of the proprietors.
