England in 1819

England in 1819 is a poem that describes the conditions of England during that time. It describes in the first 6 lines the state of the King and other rulers and the last 8 lines describe the rest of the people in England and its policies. The poem begins with an untraditional blazon where it describes the King not by listing physical features, but mental. The first line for example means that the King is “old, mad, blind, despised, and dying.” Secondly, the Princes are “the dregs of their dull race,” who “flow through public scorn” like mud. The first 6 lines talk about how the Rulers of England don’t see or understand their people. They simply go through life uncaring and “leech-like”, clinging to their country.

The last 8 lines begin by describing the state of the people who are “starved and stabbed in the untilled field.” The army is corrupted by “liberticide and prey” and the laws don’t help the people but “tempt and slay.” Religion in England during this time seems no better because it is “Christless” and “Godless.” These last 8 lines seem to have a theme of defeat, but its last 2 lines speak of a little hope. The mention of Phantom in this line shows that while England may be “Christless” and “Godless”, Shelley is not and is looking forward to a time when a spirit, soul, or spiritual manifestation of some kind will “Burst, to illumine our tempestuous day.”

The poem doesn’t seem to have the usual rhyme scheme of a sonnet, which makes it read more like a regular poem. The first 6 lines keep the same rhyme scheme of AB the entire time and the last 8 uses variations of CD. Knowing this one can say that Shelley used this structure to emphasize the structure of England is not as is ordinarily would be. Shelley also uses sounds and words such as in lines “dregs of their dull race” and “blind in blood, without a blow.” The “d’s” in “dregs of their dull race” make a strong firm sound that emphasizes dominance, while the “bl” in “blind in blood, without a blow” play on looseness and elasticity. This shows an opposition between the Rulers themselves. They are strong because they have power and control, yet they are weak because they only survive by “clinging” to their country and its people.