Lyric Poem · Death & Loss

The Wandering Jew's Soliloquy

by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Reading room

1Is it the Eternal Triune, is it He

2Who dares arrest the wheels of destiny

3And plunge me in the lowest Hell of Hells?

4Will not the lightning's blast destroy my frame?

5Will not steel drink the blood-life where it swells?

6No — let me hie where dark Destruction dwells,

7To rouse her from her deeply caverned lair,

8And, taunting her cursed sluggishness to ire,

9Light long Oblivion's death-torch at its flame

10And calmly mount Annihilation's pyre.

11Tyrant of Earth! pale Misery's jackal Thou!

12Are there no stores of vengeful violent fate

13Within the magazines of Thy fierce hate?

14No poison in the clouds to bathe a brow

15That lowers on Thee with desperate contempt?

16Where is the noonday Pestilence that slew

17The myriad sons of Israel's favoured nation?

18Where the destroying Minister that flew

19Pouring the fiery tide of desolation

20Upon the leagued Assyrian's attempt?

21Where the dark Earthquake-daemon who engorged

22At the dread word Korah's unconscious crew?

23Or the Angel's two-edged sword of fire that urged

24Our primal parents from their bower of bliss

25(Reared by Thine hand) for errors not their own

26By Thine omniscient mind foredoomed, foreknown?

27Yes! I would court a ruin such as this,

28Almighty Tyrant! and give thanks to Thee —

29Drink deeply — drain the cup of hate; remit this — I may die.

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“The Wandering Jew's Soliloquy” by Percy Bysshe Shelley — quilloak.com/poems/the-wandering-jews-soliloquy

Quick facts

Poem: The Wandering Jew's Soliloquy
Poet: Percy Bysshe Shelley
Length: 29 lines
Form: Lyric Poem
Themes: Death & Loss, War & Remembrance, Peace

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Shape: 29 lines · one 29-line stanza
Line length: Mostly 10-syllable lines (pentameter length).

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Author record: Percy Bysshe Shelley1792–1822
Source record: PoetryDBThe Wandering Jew's Soliloquy by percy-bysshe-shelley, PoetryDB transcription
Display decision: Full text · United States · reviewed 2026-07-18
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Text fingerprint: SHA-256 037e8ae2dbb474ef…
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Lyric Poem Death & Loss War & Remembrance Peace

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