Hymn to

Intellectual Beauty
P.B SHELLEY
Stanza 3
Explanation:

In this stanza, Shelley proceeds to assert that no voice

from greater and graceful world has ever given
such answers to questions asked by the poets as
supplied by Intellectual Beauty.

Even the Trinity of God, and Ghost and Heaven

remain records of the useless attempts to explain things
and not succeeding. Their responses, which are
recorded in the Bible, whose magic remains weak, the
power of which does not succeed in separating what is
felt and what is seen.
There remain doubts, chance of suspicion and
changeability. We cannot   escape suspicion, chance
and changeability.

Everything written is subject to change. Only

intellectual beauty and grace and security to our
disturbed and cynical existence remain on earth.

Before Intellectual Beauty’s shadow doubts are driven

like mists over mountains, or music is dispersed by
night wind, or as moonlight is taken ahead by a flowing
forest stream. The shadow of intellectual beauty can
only provide relief from obstacles and doubts.
Stanza 4
Explanation:
In this fourth stanza of the poem, Hymn to
Intellectual Beauty, the poet argues about
reasons of uncertainty and instability of the
Intellectual Beauty. He says that it visits human
beings only fitfully. According to the poet, the
feelings of love, hope and self-respect
come to human beings and then go away,
like the clouds which assemble in the sky
and then disperse.
.
Knowledge appears to be more enduring than emotions such as love; it
lights up the heart. The poet finds intellectual beauty to be unfamiliar,
unknown and fearsome which is felt by human beings for only some
uncertain moment as if it is something given on loan and taken back.

If Intellectual beauty were to live within human heart in a solid, state, that
is, forever, men would have become immortal and all-powerful. The poet
calls it messenger of sympathies which melt and become less in the eyes
of lovers. Intellectual beauty is the food which provides nourishment to the
poet’s thought, just as darkness is to an extinguishing flame of fire.

He appeals to intellectual beauty not to depart, because the poet

fears that its departure may convert grave into a living place and fear a
dark reality
Thank You