Synthesis of Shelley's Views of Poetry and the Poet

Shelley in 1821 wrote "A Defence of Poetry"; it was a text where he explained his point of view about poetry and the poet. The text was the answer of Peacock's  " The Four Ages Of Poetry" where he said poetry was becoming an old and a disused art.

Shelley defended poetry explained his function and his attraction for men.

Poetry is an action don't make by the will but it is a creation made by an "invisible influence". The poet can't control his inspiration, when he writes there is a supernatural force that moves his hand and his thinking.

The effects of this process are magnificent and biggest of every prevision.

The poet is a person able to write his thoughts, his feelings creating great results. He remembers scenes, places, people of his life, he images a lot of things and is able to write his thought  giving pleasure to the reader.

It seems "it is as it were the interpenetration of a diviner nature trough our own".

The poet's task is to make "immortal all that is best and most beautiful in the world".

The poetry has the function to give to the reader wisdom, pleasure, virtue and glory. The poet is a romantic picture, he is the happiest, the best, the wisest and the most illustrious man. He want to be the best of all good things.

I think Shelley wants to give to the society an example of the right way to follow. In fact, thanks to poetry the reader can feel a lot of good emotion and the reader can understand the values of the nature and the world.

Moreover the reader can understand the  skill of the poet and take example from him.