English Romantic writer Mary Shelley was born on 30 August 1797, in London.
Her father was the political philosopher William Godwin and her mother was the philosopher and feminist activist Mary Wollstonecraft, who died in childbirth
Mary Shelley is famous for her “Frankenstein”, published when she was 21. None of her works published later matched the power of that first legendary novel.
Anyway, she wrote other novels, travelogues and short stories for popular periodicals. Many years after the death of her husband, poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, she also devoted herself to poetry , especially elegies containing allusions to her husband.
The following poem ‘Stanzas’ (‘Oh, come to me in dreams, my love!’) was written in 1834 and published in 1839 in “The Keepsake”. This was a British literary annual, a compilation of poetry, short essays, short stories, and engraved illustrations. It was a book designed to appeal to young, middle-class women, published at the end of the year, in time for Christmas gift-giving.
Writing for annuals was seen by many critics as work done for the money only. However, other leading writers of the day, such as the Romantic poets William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, also took advantage of that profitable market.
Mary Shelley’s short stories are often poorly considered by scholars, because they appeared in The Keepsake and other annuals, but it must be remembered that her financial situation, throughout her early life, marriage, and most of her widowhood, was never comfortable.
Stanzas
Oh, come to me in dreams, my love!
…I will not ask a dearer bliss;
Come with the starry beams, my love,
…And press mine eyelids with thy kiss.
‘Twas thus, as ancient fables tell,
…Love visited a Grecian maid,
Till she disturbed the sacred spell,
…And woke to find her hopes betrayed.
But gentle sleep shall veil my sight,
…And Psyche’s lamp shall darkling be,
When, in the visions of the night,
…Thou dost renew thy vows to me.
Then come to me in dreams, my love,
…I will not ask a dearer bliss;
Come with the starry beams, my love,
…And press mine eyelids with thy kiss.
In these lines Mary Shelley communicates her grief at the loss of her husband and her loneliness as a widow
Image: Portrait of Mary Shelley- Miniature watercolour on ivory, laid on card, by Reginald Easton (painted sometime between 1851 and 1893). – Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
La scrittrice romantica inglese Mary Shelley nacque il 30 agosto 1797 a Londra.
Suo padre era il filosofo politico William Godwin e sua madre era la filosofa e attivista femminista Mary Wollstonecraft, morta di parto
Mary Shelley è famosa per il suo “Frankenstein”, pubblicato quando aveva 21 anni. Nessuna delle sue opere pubblicate in seguito eguaglia la potenza di quel primo romanzo leggendario.
Comunque scrisse altri romanzi, diari di viaggio e racconti per riviste popolari. Molti anni dopo la morte di suo marito, il poeta Percy Bysshe Shelley si dedicò anche alla poesia, in particolare elegie contenenti allusioni a suo marito.
La seguente poesia “Strofe” (“Oh, vieni da me in sogno, amore mio!”) fu scritta nel 1834 e pubblicata nel 1839 in “The Keepsake” (il souvenir). Si trattava di un annuale letterario britannico, una raccolta di poesie, brevi saggi, brevi storie e incisioni. Era un volume ideato per attrarre le giovani donne della classe media, pubblicato alla fine dell’anno, da poter essere usato come regalo di Natale.
Scrivere per gli annuali è stato visto da molti critici come un lavoro fatto solo per soldi. Tuttavia, anche altri importanti scrittori dell’epoca, come i poeti romantici William Wordsworth e Samuel Taylor Coleridge, hanno approfittato di quel mercato redditizio.
I racconti di Mary Shelley sono spesso scarsamente considerati dagli studiosi, perché apparvero in The Keepsake e altri annuali, ma va ricordato che la sua situazione finanziaria della scrittrice, durante la prima infanzia, il matrimonio e la maggior parte della sua vedovanza, è sempre stata problematica .
Oh, vieni da me in sogno, amore mio!
Non chiederò gioia più cara;
vieni con i raggi delle stelle, amore mio,
e imprimi il tuo bacio sulle mie palpebre.
Fu così, come narrano le antiche favole,
che Amore visitava una fanciulla greca,
finché lei non disturbò il sacro incantesimo,
e al risveglio trovò distrutta ogni sua speranza.
Ma il sonno gentile mi velerà la vista,
e la lampada di Psiche sarà oscura,
quando nelle visioni della notte,
tu mi rinnoverai le tue promesse.
Allora vieni da me in sogno, amore mio!
Non chiederò gioia più cara;
vieni con i raggi delle stelle, amore mio,
e imprimi il tuo bacio sulle mie palpebre.
(trad: L.Z.)
Maravilhosa Mary Shelley👏👏👏❤️
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Grazie di cuore 💜💜💜
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✨🧚♂️😍
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Beautiful haunting lines.
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So glad you enjoyed them
Thanks a lot
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Che bella la poesia, molto evocativa. Nel leggere la storia che hai pubblicato di Mary Shelley, ho appreso un particolare che non conoscevo ossia: che ha sempre avuto una situazione finanziaria m8 pare di aver capito un pò precaria.
Buona serata è sempre un vero arricchimento il leggerti 😘
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Sì, alla morte del marito sono stati gli amici poeti come Byron ad aiutarla finanziariamente
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Come ti ho detto non lo sapevo e neppure lo avrei mai sospettato. Grazie e buona serata 😘
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Buona serata a te, Giusy carissima 🌙❣🌙
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Absolutely beautiful poem!!! I’ve read Frankstein and that was truly one of the best works ever written.
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Thank you for your lovely comment
Mary Shelley was really a great writer 🌹🌹🌹
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You are welcome
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🙏🌹🙏
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Sweet and touching!
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Indeed
Thank you for your appreciation 🙏🌹🙏
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Meravigliosa poesia ❤
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… e pensa che Mary Shelley non è considerata una poetessa 🙏🌹🙏
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Very interesting, Luisa ! Grazie.
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Grazie a te, Jean-Louis –
Bisous 🙏🥰🙏
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“Frankenstein” lost none of its meaning till today because it reproduces the tragedy of the human spirit, which is capable of great things, but turns away from divine law and destroys itself. It’s the parable of the modern man, divided in contradictions.
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Great observation on a work that is still relevant today.
I heartily thank you for sharing it🙏💜🙏💜🙏
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Quanto mi piace tutto l’insieme 😍
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Grazie infinite 🙏
Un abbraccio
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Bella 🌹
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Grazie per il messaggio
Buona serata, Dani 💜🌙💜
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Buonanotte Luisa 🌙💓
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[…] as a temporary death for Mary Shelley, just so she could meet her dead husband […]
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💜🙏💜🙏💜
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Questa poesia di Mary Shelley è bellissima e vera! Ogni innamorata ha pensato, desiderato di incontrare il suo amore anche nei sogni! Tu sei stata bravissima nella traduzione, grazie a te ho potuto leggere parole bellissime.Grazie Luisa!!!! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Grazie di cuore, Vitty cara
Sono felice che la poesia ti sia piaciuta, anche perché è sincera: Mary Shelley soffrì profondamente per la morte del marito
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Solo una donna davvero innamorata poteva scrivere parole così belle e amorose!!! ❤
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Certamente 💖💖💖
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Lovely poem. You selected well.👍😻
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Thank you, dear Pat 🙏🙏🙏
So glad to know you liked it as much as I did
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bellissima questa poesia dedicata al marito che non c’è più. Delicata e affettuosa… Bella la storia che ci hai raccontato. Una perla in più da aggiungere a ciò che ci insegni. Buonanotte a te mia cara Luisa
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Grazie, Alidada cara, per il tuo gentile apprezzamento 🙏🙏🙏
Buona giornata
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buona serata a te 🙂
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Great photo of a great Author Mary Shelley Stanzas 🙏🌷💕So awesome poem and article to read 🌷🙏♥️🌷
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I’m really glad to know that you enjoyed both the post and the chosen image
Thank you very much. 🙏💖🙏💖🙏
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Thank you Dr for your nice reply 🙏🌹 so welcome 👏
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I heard about Mary Shelly’s story and it is said that she was always in a dire financial situation until her husband’s father died at the age of 90 or older. Her father-in-law refused to help her when he was alive even if he had plenty of money. He’d rather see Mary and his grandson starve to death.
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You are so right: Mary always found herself on the verge of poverty and lived a life of economic hardship
Thank you for your precious comment 🙏🙏🙏
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[…] Mary Shelley’s Stanzas […]
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Thanks a lot for reblogging 🙏💜🙏💜🙏
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You know, I had never read Mary Shelley’s biography and I was very impressed.
Even today you taught me something important and you made me think.
Thanks Luisa!
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Mary Shelley is best known for her Frankenstein, but she wrote a lot more and had a not-so-easy life
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And all for the year without summer, thanks to Tambora volcano!
Beautiful poem! Thanks for sharing.
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Indeed 🙏💜🙏
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Certo che Frankstein è stato un best seller all’epoca e ha in qualche modo marchiato le opere che sono arrivate dopo.
Per vivere, se non ci sono altri mezzi di sostentamento, va bene a nche scrivere a pagamento
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Thank you so much for sharing! She is one of my favorite authors 💗
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So glad to know that
Thank you very much for your kind appreciation💜💐💜
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Marvellous piece of information! 👌 The poem was so touching, I could feel her loneliness and vulnerability through her words. Frankenstein is a masterpiece and I’ll read it the very first chance I get!
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It is a novel that you should like, very nice to read and that offers a lot of food for thought
Thank you for your lovely words, Sam 😘
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Beautiful post
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I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for visiting my blog and offering feedback !
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[…] Mary Shelley’s Stanzas […]
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Thank you for reblogging 🙏🌺🙏
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Fantastic!!
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Thank you so much, I’m glad you stopped by!
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OMG! I so identify with this! I lost dearest Thomas last September 28th, 2020. His heart gave out, from the stress of Advance Pulmonary Fibrosis. He was the love of my life! I look a year off to just feel his loss. I am delighted to find this. Best wishes! Thanks! Pejj
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[…] (blog di Luisa) […]
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Lik, ciao Luisa y Grazie Juan
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Muchas gracias! 🙏🌼🙏
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