To Night

Percy Bysshe Shelley's To Night

Introduction

Percy Bysshe Shelley's "To Night" represents one of the most compelling examples of Romantic nocturnal poetry, a work that seamlessly weaves together the period's preoccupation with nature, death, and the sublime while simultaneously engaging with classical personification and mythology. This intricate lyric poem, composed in 1821 and published posthumously in 1824, demonstrates Shelley's masterful command of both form and metaphysical contemplation, creating a work that transcends simple nature poetry to become a profound meditation on consciousness, desire, and mortality.

Form and Structure

The poem's five stanzas maintain a consistent pattern that mirrors its thematic exploration of duality and cyclical return. Each stanza comprises seven lines, with a distinctive shorter second and final line that creates a rhythmic pulse reminiscent of breathing or the gentle oscillation between day and night. The rhyme scheme (ABABCCB) creates a circular motion that emphasizes both completion and perpetual return, while the varying line lengths produce a visual representation of waxing and waning on the page.

Shelley's use of the septain (seven-line stanza) is particularly significant, as the number seven carries strong mythological associations with cosmic completion—the seven planetary bodies known to ancient astronomers, the seven days of creation, and the phases of the moon. This formal choice reinforces the poem's engagement with celestial and temporal themes.

Classical and Mythological Elements

The personification of Night as a female spirit draws deeply from classical tradition, particularly the Greek goddess Nyx. Shelley's Night, however, is more complex than her ancient counterpart, embodying both creative and destructive potential. The poem positions her in a family dynamic with Death and Sleep (reminiscent of Nyx's children Thanatos and Hypnos), yet reconfigures these relationships in a way that speaks to Romantic preoccupations with consciousness and oblivion.

The "misty eastern cave" from which Night emerges evokes Hesiod's Theogony, where Nyx's cave marks the meeting place of Day and Night. Shelley transforms this classical image into a workshop where Night "wovest dreams of joy and fear," suggesting both creative power and psychological depth that extends beyond the ancient conception.

The Dialectic of Day and Night

Throughout the poem, Shelley constructs a complex relationship between Day and Night that transcends simple opposition. The interaction between these forces is intimate and even erotic, as Night is called to "Blind with thine hair the eyes of Day" and "Kiss her until she be wearied out." This sensual interaction suggests a unity of opposites rather than mere antagonism, reflecting the Romantic interest in reconciling apparent contradictions.

The Day is portrayed as "weary" and "an unloved guest," while Night is "beloved" and "long sought." This preference for darkness over light inverts traditional associations and reflects the Romantic privileging of imagination over reason, emotion over rationality. The speaker's repeated sighing for Night during daylight hours creates a sense of exile from a more authentic mode of being.

Death, Sleep, and Consciousness

The fourth stanza introduces a dramatic shift with the appearance of Death and Sleep, personified as Night's relatives. This family triangle creates a complex meditation on states of consciousness and existence. The speaker's rejection of both Death and Sleep in favor of Night suggests a desire for a state of enhanced awareness rather than oblivion or unconsciousness.

The phrase "filmy-eyed" to describe Sleep creates a powerful image of partial consciousness, while Death's direct question "Wouldst thou me?" carries both threat and seduction. The speaker's emphatic rejection—"No, not thee!"—affirms a desire for sustained consciousness, even in darkness.

Temporal Anxiety and Desire

The final stanza reveals the underlying temporal anxiety that drives the poem. The opening declaration "Death will come when thou art dead" suggests that Night provides a buffer against mortality itself. The repetition of "soon, too soon" creates a sense of urgency and impending loss, while the closing entreaty "Come soon, soon!" expresses both desire and desperation.

This complex treatment of time—simultaneously wanting to hasten and delay—reflects the paradoxical nature of desire itself. The speaker seeks Night's arrival while already anticipating her departure, creating a perpetual cycle of longing that mirrors the eternal alternation of day and night.

Imagistic Patterns and Symbolism

The poem's imagery progresses from cosmic to intimate scales, beginning with "western wave" and "eastern cave" before moving to more personal interactions. The "opiate wand" introduces themes of altered consciousness and artificial paradise that would become increasingly significant in later nineteenth-century literature.

The mantle "Star-inwrought" creates a powerful visual image while suggesting Night's role as a weaver of both literal and metaphorical dreams. This connection between stellar light and human consciousness reflects the Romantic interest in finding correspondences between natural and psychological phenomena.

Conclusion

"To Night" represents a masterful synthesis of Romantic preoccupations with form, mythology, consciousness, and desire. Through its intricate patterns of imagery and sound, the poem creates a complex meditation on human consciousness and its relationship to natural cycles. The speaker's preference for Night over both Day and Death suggests a search for a state of enhanced awareness that transcends both ordinary consciousness and oblivion.

Shelley's achievement lies not only in his technical mastery but in his ability to transform traditional motifs and classical references into a deeply personal exploration of desire and mortality. The poem's continuing resonance stems from its ability to speak to universal human experiences of longing, fear, and the search for transcendence, while maintaining a complexity that rewards repeated reading and analysis.

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