A BALLAD. by Percy Bysshe Shelley: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
Shelley outfits the Devil in elegant attire and sends him on a journey through early 19th-century Britain, where he discovers that priests, kings, lawyers, bishops, and statesmen are already fulfilling his role.
The poem
[Published as a broadside by Shelley, 1812.] 1. Once, early in the morning, Beelzebub arose, With care his sweet person adorning, He put on his Sunday clothes. 2. He drew on a boot to hide his hoof, _5 He drew on a glove to hide his claw, His horns were concealed by a Bras Chapeau, And the Devil went forth as natty a Beau As Bond-street ever saw. 3. He sate him down, in London town, _10 Before earth’s morning ray; With a favourite imp he began to chat, On religion, and scandal, this and that, Until the dawn of day. 4. And then to St. James’s Court he went, _15 And St. Paul’s Church he took on his way; He was mighty thick with every Saint, Though they were formal and he was gay. 5. The Devil was an agriculturist, And as bad weeds quickly grow, _20 In looking over his farm, I wist, He wouldn’t find cause for woe. 6. He peeped in each hole, to each chamber stole, His promising live-stock to view; Grinning applause, he just showed them his claws, _25 And they shrunk with affright from his ugly sight, Whose work they delighted to do. 7. Satan poked his red nose into crannies so small One would think that the innocents fair, Poor lambkins! were just doing nothing at all _30 But settling some dress or arranging some ball, But the Devil saw deeper there. 8. A Priest, at whose elbow the Devil during prayer Sate familiarly, side by side, Declared that, if the Tempter were there, _35 His presence he would not abide. Ah! ah! thought Old Nick, that’s a very stale trick, For without the Devil, O favourite of Evil, In your carriage you would not ride. 9. Satan next saw a brainless King, _40 Whose house was as hot as his own; Many Imps in attendance were there on the wing, They flapped the pennon and twisted the sting, Close by the very Throne. 10. Ah! ah! thought Satan, the pasture is good, _45 My Cattle will here thrive better than others; They dine on news of human blood, They sup on the groans of the dying and dead, And supperless never will go to bed; Which will make them fat as their brothers. _50 11. Fat as the Fiends that feed on blood, Fresh and warm from the fields of Spain, Where Ruin ploughs her gory way, Where the shoots of earth are nipped in the bud, Where Hell is the Victor’s prey, _55 Its glory the meed of the slain. 12. Fat—as the Death-birds on Erin’s shore, That glutted themselves in her dearest gore, And flitted round Castlereagh, When they snatched the Patriot’s heart, that HIS grasp _60 Had torn from its widow’s maniac clasp, —And fled at the dawn of day. 13. Fat—as the Reptiles of the tomb, That riot in corruption’s spoil, That fret their little hour in gloom, _65 And creep, and live the while. 14. Fat as that Prince’s maudlin brain, Which, addled by some gilded toy, Tired, gives his sweetmeat, and again Cries for it, like a humoured boy. _70 15. For he is fat,—his waistcoat gay, When strained upon a levee day, Scarce meets across his princely paunch; And pantaloons are like half-moons Upon each brawny haunch. _75 16. How vast his stock of calf! when plenty Had filled his empty head and heart, Enough to satiate foplings twenty, Could make his pantaloon seams start. 17. The Devil (who sometimes is called Nature), _80 For men of power provides thus well, Whilst every change and every feature, Their great original can tell. 18. Satan saw a lawyer a viper slay, That crawled up the leg of his table, _85 It reminded him most marvellously Of the story of Cain and Abel. 19. The wealthy yeoman, as he wanders His fertile fields among, And on his thriving cattle ponders, _90 Counts his sure gains, and hums a song; Thus did the Devil, through earth walking, Hum low a hellish song. 20. For they thrive well whose garb of gore Is Satan’s choicest livery, _95 And they thrive well who from the poor Have snatched the bread of penury, And heap the houseless wanderer’s store On the rank pile of luxury. 21. The Bishops thrive, though they are big; _100 The Lawyers thrive, though they are thin; For every gown, and every wig, Hides the safe thrift of Hell within. 22. Thus pigs were never counted clean, Although they dine on finest corn; _105 And cormorants are sin-like lean, Although they eat from night to morn. 23. Oh! why is the Father of Hell in such glee, As he grins from ear to ear? Why does he doff his clothes joyfully, _110 As he skips, and prances, and flaps his wing, As he sidles, leers, and twirls his sting, And dares, as he is, to appear? 24. A statesman passed—alone to him, The Devil dare his whole shape uncover, _115 To show each feature, every limb, Secure of an unchanging lover. 25. At this known sign, a welcome sight, The watchful demons sought their King, And every Fiend of the Stygian night, _120 Was in an instant on the wing. 26. Pale Loyalty, his guilt-steeled brow, With wreaths of gory laurel crowned: The hell-hounds, Murder, Want and Woe, Forever hungering, flocked around; _125 From Spain had Satan sought their food, ’Twas human woe and human blood! 27. Hark! the earthquake’s crash I hear,— Kings turn pale, and Conquerors start, Ruffians tremble in their fear, _130 For their Satan doth depart. 28. This day Fiends give to revelry To celebrate their King’s return, And with delight its Sire to see Hell’s adamantine limits burn. _135 29. But were the Devil’s sight as keen As Reason’s penetrating eye, His sulphurous Majesty I ween, Would find but little cause for joy. 30. For the sons of Reason see _140 That, ere fate consume the Pole, The false Tyrant’s cheek shall be Bloodless as his coward soul. NOTE: _55 Where cj. Rossetti; When 1812. ***
Shelley outfits the Devil in elegant attire and sends him on a journey through early 19th-century Britain, where he discovers that priests, kings, lawyers, bishops, and statesmen are already fulfilling his role. The irony is that Satan doesn't corrupt these figures of power; he simply acknowledges them as his own. In the end, Shelley shifts the tone: he asserts that Reason will endure beyond any tyrant, suggesting that the Devil's revelry is misguided.
Line-by-line
Once, early in the morning, Beelzebub arose, / With care his sweet person adorning,
He drew on a boot to hide his hoof, / He drew on a glove to hide his claw,
He sate him down, in London town, / Before earth's morning ray;
And then to St. James's Court he went, / And St. Paul's Church he took on his way;
The Devil was an agriculturist, / And as bad weeds quickly grow,
He peeped in each hole, to each chamber stole, / His promising live-stock to view;
Satan poked his red nose into crannies so small / One would think the innocents fair,
A Priest, at whose elbow the Devil during prayer / Sate familiarly, side by side,
Satan next saw a brainless King, / Whose house was as hot as his own;
Ah! ah! thought Satan, the pasture is good, / My Cattle will here thrive better than others;
Fat as the Fiends that feed on blood, / Fresh and warm from the fields of Spain,
Fat—as the Death-birds on Erin's shore, / That glutted themselves in her dearest gore,
Fat—as the Reptiles of the tomb, / That riot in corruption's spoil,
Fat as that Prince's maudlin brain, / Which, addled by some gilded toy,
For he is fat,—his waistcoat gay, / When strained upon a levee day,
How vast his stock of calf! when plenty / Had filled his empty head and heart,
The Devil (who sometimes is called Nature), / For men of power provides thus well,
Satan saw a lawyer a viper slay, / That crawled up the leg of his table,
The wealthy yeoman, as he wanders / His fertile fields among,
For they thrive well whose garb of gore / Is Satan's choicest livery,
The Bishops thrive, though they are big; / The Lawyers thrive, though they are thin;
Thus pigs were never counted clean, / Although they dine on finest corn;
Oh! why is the Father of Hell in such glee, / As he grins from ear to ear?
A statesman passed—alone to him, / The Devil dare his whole shape uncover,
At this known sign, a welcome sight, / The watchful demons sought their King,
Pale Loyalty, his guilt-steeled brow, / With wreaths of gory laurel crowned:
Hark! the earthquake's crash I hear,— / Kings turn pale, and Conquerors start,
This day Fiends give to revelry / To celebrate their King's return,
But were the Devil's sight as keen / As Reason's penetrating eye,
For the sons of Reason see / That, ere fate consume the Pole,
Tone & mood
Gleefully savage. Shelley writes with the pent-up energy of someone who's been furious for ages and has finally found the right outlet for it. The opening stanzas carry a pantomime-comic vibe — with the Devil getting dressed up and gossiping with an imp — but the tone shifts to something darker as the targets become clearer: the Peninsular War, the suppression of the Irish, the Prince Regent's weight, Castlereagh. By the last stanzas, the humor has faded, leaving behind a chilling, prophetic anger. Throughout, the ballad meter keeps the rhythm lively, making the violent themes resonate even more powerfully.
Symbols & metaphors
- The Devil's disguise — Satan's fine clothes — boots, gloves, hat — symbolize how institutional evil cloaks itself in respectability. The ruling class dons the same attire. When Satan finally reveals his true self to the statesman, it shows that the most powerful figures don't require a mask at all.
- Fatness — The repeated 'Fat as—' comparisons connect physical excess with moral decay. The Prince Regent's actual obesity symbolizes the flaws of a ruling class that indulges in the suffering of others. Being fat represents greed, complacency, and the exploitation of human lives.
- The farm and livestock — Satan is depicted as a farmer, his followers as cattle and troublesome weeds, while the powerful act like farmers tallying their profits. This farming metaphor weaves throughout the poem, illustrating that exploitation is deliberate and organized rather than coincidental. The poor represent the harvest that gets devoured.
- Blood and gore — Blood appears in many forms—from Spain, from Ireland, serving as food for demons and as the dye for Satan's 'livery.' It represents the true currency of empire and monarchy, the very substance that sustains power. Shelley presents this in a raw and tangible way, forcing readers to confront the real costs of wars and suppressions.
- Reason's eye — Set against the backdrop of all the demonic imagery, Reason emerges at the end as the one power capable of seeing through Satan's deceptions. It serves as Shelley's secular response to religious hope—asserting that it's not God but rational thought that can topple tyrants.
- The earthquake — The earthquake in stanza 27 represents a revolutionary upheaval that makes kings and conquerors uneasy. Shelley employs natural disasters as a metaphor for the political turmoil he anticipated and wished for, aiming to dismantle the old order.
Historical context
Shelley published this poem as a broadside in 1812 at the age of nineteen, already embracing his radical beliefs. Britain was embroiled in the Peninsular War against Napoleon, while the Prince Regent, who would later become George IV, was infamous for his lavish lifestyle amidst widespread poverty. The Irish Act of Union from 1800, pushed through in part by Castlereagh, was still a sore point. Shelley had just returned from Ireland, where he had been handing out pamphlets advocating for Catholic emancipation and political reform. This poem belongs to a long line of English political satire, tracing from John Milton to Jonathan Swift, but its closest influences come from the radical broadsides and caricatures of its time — like James Gillray's biting cartoons of the Prince Regent. At the same time, Shelley was influenced by William Godwin's political philosophy, which reinforced his conviction that reason and justice would ultimately triumph over tyranny. The poem was a bold move: criticizing the Prince Regent and specific ministers in print risked charges of seditious libel.
FAQ
The primary targets are: the **Prince Regent** (who would become George IV), ridiculed for his weight and immaturity in stanzas 14–16; **Castlereagh**, the Foreign Secretary responsible for quelling the Irish Rebellion of 1798, criticized in stanza 12; and the broader British political and religious establishment — including bishops, lawyers, priests, and a likely reference to Castlereagh again in stanza 24. The 'brainless King' mentioned in stanza 9 refers to George III, whose mental health issues were widely known.
Shelley argues that the British ruling class doesn't require the Devil's temptation — they are already fulfilling his agenda. The Church, monarchy, law, and political establishment are inherently corrupt, thriving on war, poverty, and oppression. Shelley's only hope lies in Reason: he believes that rational thought will ultimately reveal and dismantle tyranny, even if it takes time.
Using Satan as a tour guide through British society allows Shelley to express thoughts that might be difficult to convey directly. The comic-horror frame provides him with some distance—it's merely a ballad about the Devil—yet the targets are clear. This approach also enables him to make a theological observation: if the Devil feels comfortable in churches, courts, and parliament, what does that imply about those institutions? This tradition can be traced back to Milton's *Paradise Lost*, where Satan stands out as the most compelling character in the narrative.
This is one of Shelley's most striking lines. Conservative thinkers of his time claimed that social hierarchy was 'natural'—that it was just how things were, like gravity, for kings to rule over the poor. Shelley flips this argument on its head: if the natural order leads to such inequality and cruelty, then Nature and the Devil are essentially the same. He rejects the notion that the status quo deserves any respect simply because it’s deemed 'natural.'
The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was Britain's military campaign against Napoleon in Spain and Portugal. Shelley viewed it as a disaster that took the lives of countless ordinary people for the glory and gain of those in power. The 'fields of Spain' and 'human blood' that Satan's demons consume refer to the war's high death toll. As a pacifist, Shelley believed that wars were waged by the poor to benefit the wealthy—this poem is one of his earliest expressions of that belief.
It's more anti-clerical than simply anti-Christian. Shelley critiques the institutional Church of England — its wealth, hypocrisy, and ties to political power — rather than faith itself. The priest who brags about his intolerance for the Devil while riding in a church-funded carriage is the real target, not belief. At this stage in his life, Shelley identified as an atheist, but the poem specifically condemns organized religion as a means of oppression, which presents a different argument.
It's genuinely hopeful, though that hope comes with a struggle. Shelley argues that if Satan could see as clearly as Reason does, he'd understand that his celebration is premature — every tyrant will eventually falter and be revealed. 'Ere fate consume the Pole' suggests before the end of the world, indicating that Shelley isn't promising a rapid revolution. However, he is promising one. The conclusion shows his belief, influenced by Godwin and the Enlightenment, that truth and reason align with the oppressed and will ultimately prevail.
Shelley uses the term loosely. Traditional ballads are narrative folk songs that typically feature four-line stanzas with alternating lines of four and three stresses (known as ballad metre). This poem captures that lively, singable quality and the storytelling aspect, yet Shelley freely varies the line lengths and stanza shapes throughout. The ballad label reflects the poem's aim to reach the masses—it was published as a broadside, intended for ordinary people to read aloud or sing, rather than to be examined in a library.