The Masque of Anarchy

The title foreshadows Shelley’s criticism of the English government. The punning on mask and masque refers both to the disguises that the four vice figures wear and the dramatic form masque. The masks of Murder, Fraud, Hypocrisy, and Anarchy prevent the common person from recognizing their political figures as corrupt and devious. In addition, monarchs staged masques to celebrate their reign and reinforce their power. Shelley uses this meaning ironically, underscoring how unworthy these ruling figures are.

The poem begins on a smaller scale, with the poem’s speaker sleeping. The speaker is likely a version of Shelley himself, as Shelley lived in Italy at the time of the Peterloo Massacre and the poem’s argument matches Shelley’s own personal thoughts and feelings.

In his dream, the speaker hears “a voice from over the sea” (Stanza 1). The “great power” (Stanza 1) of the voice suggests that it is likely the voice of the English land, which later speaks to the common English people to inspire them to use nonviolent resistance to cause revolutionary change. The speaker explains how this voice inspires his poem with what he sees.

While on this journey, the speaker sees four figures he calls Murder, Fraud, Hypocrisy, and Anarchy. Shelley creates these grotesque caricatures of England’s ruling class to criticize those who seem to delight in oppressing and destroying the common people. By vilifying these political figures, the poem becomes an epic battle between good and evil.

The speaker first meets Murder. The mask of Castlereagh allows this vice figure to appear as a typical politician [See Historical Context], yet the speaker reveals that this is hiding violent corruption. Murder does not care for the common people and instead uses their deaths for political gain. He has “[s]even bloodhounds” (Stanza 2), representing countries England is in a political alliance with, that he feeds “human hearts to chew” (Stanza 3), as he sacrifices his people and their lives.

Fraud also disguises himself. He is wearing “an ermined gown” (Stanza 4); ermine refers to the fur that adorned the gowns of royalty, however, the fur is from the weasel, an animal often used to symbolize a sneaky and insincere person. Despite Fraud's tears, he is unconcerned with his people, as his tears actually kill the children who gather around him, having thought “every tear a gem” (Stanza 5). These tears “[t]urned to mill-stones as they fell” (Stanza 4), suggesting that Shelley is criticizing child labor in England.

Shelley uses the figure of Hypocrisy to criticize social institutions, like the Church and the judicial system. Hypocrisy is “[c]lothed with the Bible, as with light” (Stanza 6). Like Murder and Fraud’s masks, this gives Hypocrisy a disguise so that he can participate in “this ghastly masquerade” (Stanza 7). In this case, the moral righteousness of religion hides his corruption. He rides a crocodile, an aggressive and violent animal, further suggesting the duplicity of the figure. This is also an allusion to the age-old idea that crocodiles pretend to weep to lure in their prey; therefore, the phrase “crocodile tears” refers to a hypocritical display of grief or sympathy.

The last figure is Anarchy, who becomes the leader of the vices. His kingly attire of a crown and scepter contrasts with his “white horse, splashed with blood” (Stanza 8) and skeletal features. The words on his forehead, “I am God, and King, and Law!” (Stanza 9), underscore Shelley’s criticism of all those in power in England; religious leaders, the monarchy and ruling class, and politicians are all grouped together as responsible for the imbalance and chaos that comes with Anarchy.

Shelley then spends several stanzas describing the mob as they cross over all of England on the way to London. When the mob arrives in London, each Londoner is “panic-stricken” (Stanza 14). Many of the citizens side with the mob, which causes Anarchy to smile. Shelley uses a simile, a comparison using the word like or as, to criticize real-life political figures when he describes how well Anarchy smiles and bows, “as if his education, / Had cost ten millions to the nation” (Stanza 19). Powerful figures attended prestigious schools like Eton College, which were expensive and functioned as a pipeline to powerful positions.

The poem then begins with Anarchy’s orders to his “slaves” (Stanza 21) to take control of the Bank, Tower, and Parliament. In this chaos, “a maniac maid” runs past (Stanza 22). This woman, Hope, is weak and uninspiring, as “she looked more like Despair” (Stanza 22). Her speech explains how England has repeatedly made the wrong choice, meaning that England was left “waiting for a better day” (Stanza 23). When Hope lies down in front of the mob (Stanza 25), Shelley suggests that the vice figures will be responsible for killing Hope if someone does not stand up to them.

Before anything else can happen, a “mist, a light, an image rose” (Stanza 26). This mysterious vision is connected to the natural world; as it grows, clouds appear, lightning flashes, and thunder claps. This effect both predicts the origins of the voice while also emphasizing the Romantic understanding of nationalism [See Literary Context]. This thing in some ways looks like a knight; it is “arrayed in mail” (Stanza 28). The natural imagery describing this thing continues until “[t]houghts sprung where’er that step did fall” (Stanza 31). These thoughts revive Hope and kill Anarchy, suggesting that this is a powerful force of pure goodness.

Only in Stanza 35 does the identity of this mysterious force become clear. The force is described as “their own indignant earth, / Which gave the sons of England birth” (Stanza 35). The physical English land is speaking, and it is enraged at this violence inflicted upon the English masses, as the land has “felt their blood upon her brow” (Stanza 35). Shelley literalizes the idea of the motherland when he describes the land “shuddering with a mother’s throe” (Stanza 35).

This voice begins speaking by valorizing the common man and creating mythical origins for the English. These people are “Heirs of Glory” and “Heroes of [an] unwritten story” (Stanza 37). The inherent greatness of being “[n]urslings” (Stanza 37) of the English land means that the English can overcome the corruption and destruction it is currently experiencing. The voice then calls for them to “[r]ise” (Stanza 38), as they are brave and noble like the lion. If they all work as a group, they will be “unvanquishable” (Stanza 38).

In the next part of its rallying cry, the voice inspires the common people to protest for freedom by listing the injustices they are currently experiencing, focusing on the effects. The voice appeals to the listeners’ emotions by describing starving and weak children and mothers (Stanza 42) in contrast to the rich man’s fat dogs (Stanza 43). The voice criticizes what it calls “the Ghost of Gold” for requiring more work than the gold could ever be worth (Stanza 44). Shelley’s criticism of capitalism is that this injustice requires a human to “be a slave in soul” (Stanza 46) and denies the common person their freedom. For Shelley, these reasons should inspire more radical reform like that being discussed at the events of the Peterloo Massacre [see Historical Context].

The voice seeks to enrage its audience when it points out that the powerful will “[r]ide over your wives and you” (Stanza 47) if anyone tries to complain. This is one of the poem’s most direct references to the events of the Peterloo Massacre, where men, women, and children were trampled as they listened to a speech advocating for reform.

In Stanza 48, the voice outlines its vision for moving forward. While it is natural to want revenge for those killed, the “[b]lood for blood—and wrong for wrong” (Stanza 48) is not the way forward. This is a reaction for the weak, but the common English people are “STRONG” (Stanza 48). The English people are a part of the natural world, but unlike the birds and beasts who “have a home” (Stanza 50), the English “hast none” (Stanza 50). When the voice equates this experience to slavery (Stanza 51), it suggests that having no home and no claim to one's own land is the greatest injustice. This injustice gives them a noble cause that should elevate them over a violent response.

After advocating for the masses to nonviolently pursue freedom, the voice describes the basic rights that they will gain access to, which includes “a neat and happy home” (Stanza 54), “clothes, and fire, and food” (Stanza 55).

Next, the voice inspires them to seek justice. Both the poor and the rich should have access to legal justice, as “ne’er for gold / May thy righteous laws be sold” (Stanza 57), as is the case right now.

In its argument for nonviolent protest, the voice equates the English people with three traits. The traits are virtues that contrast the vices of the beginning of the poem. This first metaphor, which compares two things through saying that one thing is another, describes the common English person as “Wisdom” (Stanza 58). Unlike the vice Hypocrisy, Wisdom allows the people to think critically about what “priests make such ado” (Stanza 58). This point reflects Shelley’s atheist beliefs [see Poet Biography].

The next metaphor compares the English to Peace. The common person should value life and money and not waste them as “tyrants wasted them” (Stanza 59) under the influence of Murder. This contrast reveals Shelley's philosophy that war is murder because of the violence. This explains the voice’s emphasis on nonviolence; the English should use methods unlike the chaos and destruction of Anarchy and his mob. For Shelley, no injustice justified using violence.

The last virtue, Love, illustrates how the voice sees the English people inspiring others to seek reform and revolution. Their love will “[g]ive their substance to the free, / And through the rough world follow thee” (Stanza 61). This guiding principle will let them destroy the vices’ source of power.

The “great assembly” of the “fearless” and “free” (Stanza 65) will reach all of England, and all who suffer will be heard. The vision of a collective working for the betterment of the individual and the individual working for the betterment of the whole is a key idea in Shelley’s radical political philosophy. The voice recommends that the people remain “calm and resolute” (Stanza 79) in the face of violence. This argument reflects why Shelley found the protestors at the Peterloo Massacre so inspiring: In the face of great and unprovoked violence, they did not respond in kind.

To further emphasize the nobility of nonviolent protest, the voice then describes the feelings of the violent aggressors. Those who were violent “will return with shame” to their homes (Stanza 86) instead of returning as war heroes. The vices of Murder, Fraud, Hypocrisy, and Anarchy will no longer be valued but socially rejected. As a result, reform and revolution are possible.

The poem returns to the voice’s initial refrain, adding, “YE ARE MANY—THEY ARE FEW” (Stanza 91). By emphasizing the power of the collective English people, the voice and, by extension, Shelley advocate for a nonviolent resistance that leads to radical reform and revolutionary change.