Adonais

Historical Context and Significance

The poem «Adonais» by Percy Bysshe Shelley is an elegy written in memory of John Keats, an English Romantic poet who died young. Shelley created this work in 1821, shortly after Keats' death, and it became one of the most renowned examples of the elegy genre in English literature. «Adonais» not only expresses Shelley's personal grief over the loss of a friend and colleague but also serves as a reflection on the nature of poetry, immortality, and human life. The poem's influence on culture lies in its profound philosophical content and artistic expressiveness, which have inspired subsequent generations of poets and writers. Shelley uses mythological and symbolic imagery to convey ideas of eternity and transcendence, making «Adonais» an important work in the context of Romantic literature and philosophy.