An anarchist poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792 -1822)

[JTolanful]

Good poem, poor reading...sorry but please lean to read the punctuation not the rhyme; its really distracting.

[MrIzzyDizzy]

'Rise like Lions after slumber

In unvanquishable number,

Shake your chains to earth like dew

Which in sleep had fallen on you -

Ye are many - they are few.

[solankijimmy]

People, you are concentrating too much on the word "Anarchy". It is "The Mask" that is important. What Shelley might have meant (because it's my personal interpretation, which my be false) is that even after there not being anarchy, it is hugely similar to that. Rather it is Anarchy, political anarchy, but with a mask on.

[codarkstarxx13]

@jakeofbow

Yes this I knew. Thoreau was also inspired by Shelley's work. What I was stating was that what Anarchy represents is not in a political Anarchy. Political Anarchy is the freedom that Shelley talks about. She calls the bloodshed and uproar of violence Anarchy, which is pretty much what you said.

[hiswayornoway]

@codarkstarxx13 She? I think you're mixing up Percy Shelley with his wife, Mary Wolstoncroft Shelley, who was a political theorist and wrote Frankenstein, and the daughter of Godwin, who wrote the famous 'Political Justice'. Now, the freedom of which Shelley speaks is more likely to be true liberal freedom than the freedom of political anarchism post Proudhon.

[codarkstarxx13]

@hiswayornoway Haha no I didn't mean to put 'she'. I didn't even notice doing that.

[codarkstarxx13]

@jakeofbow

It is not against political Anarchy. Anarchy represents the violence of tyrannical powers. It has nothing to do with Anarchy in the aspect of no rulers. That would be hypocritical for Anarchy to claim itself God, King and Law.

Anarchy in this poem is not an Anarchist sentiment.

[Shmecklecka]

Awesome.

We are Many, They are Few.

Where is everybody??

[fryevs]

I took a pill to prove I'm a die-hard trucker, then I took two more two really push the MF, over the mountains, and around the bends at 3am, it seems the road goes on forever, and the party never ends. A highly decorated sky pilot lost his job trying to save his only son dying of cancer utilizing Rick Simpson's medical marijuana's answer. No one heard what he said, as the plane flew overhead. The white turned black after the Anarchist's attack, while big pharma execs revel in their gore, no more

[idler11]

This poem is as valid now as it was then. The bankers are the fat dogs, the supermarkets/high st giants are the sponges that suck up all small enterprises making us all work for them seven days a week. But!, we are many they are few. Every dog has its day.

[Original50]

Very good!

Would you do 'To The Men of England' too? It's of similar tone of understated anger...

[arminiush]

Your performance was very good, and thank you for doing this. It's a great poem! But after I viewed yours, I did a cursory search for a more visually theatrical version. I was surprised that I couldn't find any! (I'd be happy to be proven wrong.) So even more, thank you for this! (And the other still awaits making...)

[worldlystone]

Nice

[sirius711]

Great poem!

Cool reading voice too =D

[TheAnarchistOf1776]

this is a poem that should be cherished today very well said

[Apmhflick]

Shelley wrote it after soldiers attacked a group of protesters at the behest of gov't officials in 1819, killing 15 and injuring about 500. The people were complaining about food and work shortages that plagued England for some time after the Napoleonic Wars ended in 1815. The poem is a call for the people to rise against the ruling elite, not with violence, but with a declaration that they are free. Shelley compares the gov't's actions to anarchy & their treatment of English people as slavery.

[Apmhflick]

Pt2 Today, I would say it means the same thing. It is a clarion call to those under the thumbs of oppressive governments (or, by extension I suppose, any coercive force) to claim their freedom and realize that that freedom is rightly, innately theirs. It's a great poem with a great message. Any more questions, let me know. I'm an English teacher so I love talking to people about this stuff.

[pataphysician66]

Good one! It still has relevance today.

[SoCalSocialism]

This poem mentions slavery a lot. I think its fair for a critique of the term "wage-slaves"

Take this into account: All production is created by the labor of the workers. That means all the wealth of society is also created solely by the labor of the workers.

This includes wages. That means capitalists steal our wages and give them back to us. And far from mere "wage slaves", these capitalists desperadoes use the guns of the state to get away with this.

[ZenAnarchistAmerican]

Holy guac! I just held my breath for a minute and a half! Top-drawer delivery, kid!

[buddhagem]

Powerful poem, brother and wonderfully performed! Loved it. Favorite!

[KenCat1337]

Ye are many - they are few.

[riv3rrun]

Saying that, it is most certainly a call to the workers to rise up against criminal thugs like Lord Castlereagh, a war monger who trampled all over my home country of Ireland as well.

In that sense it is populist, and therefore could be construed as broadly socialist :)

[riv3rrun]

This was written about a massacre in England, by the British government in 1819. Shelley is *not* using 'anarchy' in a political sense. Last came Anarchy: he rode On a white horse, splashed with blood; He was pale even to the lips, Like Death in the Apocalypse. And he wore a kingly crown; And in his grasp a sceptre shone; On his brow this mark I saw - 'I AM GOD, AND KING, AND LAW!' With a pace stately and fast, Over English land he passed, Trampling to a mire of blood The adoring multitude.

[codarkstarxx13]

@riv3rrun

You are correct. I have so many people criticize me in my references to The Masque of Anarchy. Anarchy here is used in the definitive sense referring to uproar and destruction. If it were dealing with Anarchy in a political sense, GOD, KING AND LAW would be incredibly contradictory. It is not a poem against political anarchy nor is it for it. It is against Tyranny and Anarchy represents the violence of Tyrannical systems.

[MrIzzyDizzy]

@riv3rrun indeed the poem is about human rights and workers right and freedom - might better have been titled the mask of monarchy - as it very much against government oppression of any kind - politacal anarchy despite the negative connotation - is actualy for freedom sharing and self regulating society and peace

[graaaaaagh]

Excellent poem and reading. 5 stars and favorited.

[Xenu]

Magnificent reading of a great poem! Props!

[MarxBakuninMe]

It's a brilliant poem.

[onlywhenprovoked]

powerful piece, great delivery.