Hellas

Shelley is one of the most revered figures in the English poetical landscape. Born on the 4th August 1792 he has, over the years, become rightly regarded as a major Romantic poet. Yet during his own lifetime little of his work was published. Publishers feared his radical views and possible charges against themselves for blasphemy and sedition. On 8th July 1822 a month before his 30th birthday, during a sudden storm, his tragic early death by drowning robbed our culture of many fine expected masterpieces. But in his short spell on earth he weaved much magic. Hellas is a verse drama that was to be the last published poem during the poet’s lifetime. It’s dedication by Shelley reads: Τo Ηis Εxcellency Prince Alexander Mavrocordato late secretary for foreign affairs to the Hospodar of Wallachia the drama of Hellas is inscribed as an imperfect token of the admiration, sympathy, and friendship of the author. Pisa, November 1, 1821. He indeed met Alexander Mavrocordato duing his stay in Pisa and the poem was written with a view to raising money for the Greek war of independence and celebrates the Greeks overpowering Turkish rule inspired by Aeschylus' Persae.