The Beauty of Death: “Archetypes” in Poems of Percy Bysshe Shelly and Emily Dickinson

Abstract

Percy Bysshe Shelley is a central figure in British Romanticism whose works explore philosophical issues such as life, death, fate, and freedom through depictions of nature. These themes are closely intertwined with inner conflict, spiritual transcendence, and the pursuit of beauty. On the other hand, Emily Dickinson is one of the most influential poets in 19th-century American literature. Her poetry delves into profound themes of life, death, and faith, showcasing her continuous questioning of the true nature of existence. Although Shelley and Dickinson differ in writing style and emotional expression, both share a deep focus on the meaning of death and the relationship between life and death. Through symbolic imagery such as death, rebirth, elements of nature, and figures of the hero or anti-hero, both poets convey universal human emotions and collective experiences. While there is no shortage of research on the poetry of Shelley and Dickinson, few scholars have compared their works through the lens of Jungian Archetypal Theory. This paper tries to fill this gap by exploring the “beauty of death” embedded in the two poets’ works by analyzing the archetypal features in their poems from three perspectives—Self, Hero, and Shadow. Meanwhile, the paper also seeks to inspire readers to rethink the relationship between life and death.