"If winter comes, can spring be far behind?" -ode to the west wind, the representative work of British poet Shelley. Ode to the west wind was written in 18 19. Shelley was wanted by the British government because he had always supported the revolutionary movement. He took refuge in Italy. At that time, with the collapse of Napoleon's empire, it greatly promoted the revolutionary movement of European people against alien oppression and feudal autocracy. 18 19 in June, the gunfire of armed uprising finally sounded in Spain, Italy and Greece. Facing the revolutionary situation in Europe, Shelley was deeply encouraged and excited, and the poet's chest was boiling with fiery revolutionary passion. Shelley, who has always been concerned about the revolutionary movement, happened to witness the natural scene of a storm and inspired the poet. Uncontrollable revolutionary passion immediately rushed out of his chest and poured into this passionate and generous song.
Ode to the west wind is an artistic treasure in the history of European poetry.
Formally, the whole poem has five sections and consists of five sonnets. The five bars have a complete beat and can be written independently. From the content point of view, they are integrated and run through a central idea. The first section describes that the west wind swept away the residual leaves in the forest and blew up the seeds of life. The second section describes the west wind stirring the thick clouds and dense fog in the sky, calling for the arrival of heavy rain and lightning. The third section describes the turbulent waves of the sea caused by the west wind, which destroyed the flowering trees on the seabed. Three verses and three artistic conceptions, the wings of the poet's fantasy fly between the Woods, the sky and the sea, between reality and ideal, with vivid images and rich imagination, but there is only one central idea, that is, singing the west wind to sweep away decay and stimulate new life. From the fourth season, the scenery description turned to lyricism, from describing the momentum of the west wind to expressing the poet's mind, expressing the poet's love and yearning for the west wind, and reaching the realm of scene blending, while the central idea is still singing the west wind. Therefore, a prominent artistic feature of ode to the west wind is its rigorous structure, distinct levels and concentrated themes.
Secondly, ode to the west wind uses symbolism, and the whole poem is written around the west wind in autumn from beginning to end. No matter landscape writing or lyric writing, there is no separation from this specific description object and no use of a political term and revolutionary slogan. However, after reading this short poem, we deeply feel that Shelley is singing the west wind, not exactly the west wind. The poet is essentially singing the revolution by singing the west wind. West wind, leaves, seeds, floating clouds, thunder and lightning, waves, flowers and trees on the seabed, etc. Poetry is only symbolic, but it contains profound meaning. The moving scenery of nature is a symbolic reflection of the booming revolutionary struggle in the world. In this sense, ode to the west wind is not a landscape poem, but a political lyric poem. Although there is no direct description of the revolution, the whole poem reflects the revolution. Especially the last sentence-"If winter comes, can spring be far behind?" As we all know, it not only summarizes natural phenomena, but also profoundly summarizes the historical laws of human society. It expresses the poet's positive, optimistic and indomitable spirit, and firmly believes that the revolutionary struggle will surely lead to a bright future of victory after difficulties and twists, with far-reaching implications and endless aftertaste. Over the years, people have encouraged each other and spread it widely, which has become a famous motto.