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BULLS, AND ARRANGE THEMSELVES QUIETLY BEHIND THE ALTAR. THE IMAGE OF by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

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This satirical scene from Shelley's political drama *Swellfoot the Tyrant* (1820) features mythological figures representing actual British political figures.

Poet
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Themes
anger, freedom, identity
The PoemFull text

BULLS, AND ARRANGE THEMSELVES QUIETLY BEHIND THE ALTAR. THE IMAGE OF

Percy Bysshe Shelley

FAMINE SINKS THROUGH A CHASM IN THE EARTH, AND A MINOTAUR RISES.] MINOTAUR: I am the Ionian Minotaur, the mightiest Of all Europa’s taurine progeny— I am the old traditional Man-Bull; _105 And from my ancestors having been Ionian, I am called Ion, which, by interpretation, Is JOHN; in plain Theban, that is to say, My name’s JOHN BULL; I am a famous hunter, And can leaf any gate in all Boeotia, _110 Even the palings of the royal park, Or double ditch about the new enclosures; And if your Majesty will deign to mount me, At least till you have hunted down your game, I will not throw you. _115 IONA TAURINA [DURING THIS SPEECH SHE HAS BEEN PUTTING ON BOOTS AND

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

This satirical scene from Shelley's political drama *Swellfoot the Tyrant* (1820) features mythological figures representing actual British political figures. The Minotaur, who introduces himself as "John Bull" — a classic symbol of the English common people — proposes to take the queen on a hunt. It’s a sharp commentary on British politics, the monarchy, and national identity, cleverly wrapped in Greek myth.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. FAMINE SINKS THROUGH A CHASM IN THE EARTH, AND A MINOTAUR RISES.] MINOTAUR: I am the Ionian Minotaur, the mightiest / Of all Europa's taurine progeny—

    Editor's note

    The stage direction creates a theatrical spectacle: Famine vanishes as the Minotaur appears, marking a transition from one form of oppression to another. The Minotaur's first boast — asserting she is the greatest bull-creature descended from Europa — instantly weaves Greek myth into the fabric of British politics. 'Europa' refers to the mythological Phoenician princess while also nodding at Europe, anchoring the satire in a broader continental context.

  2. I am the old traditional Man-Bull; / And from my ancestors having been Ionian,

    Editor's note

    The Minotaur refers to himself as 'old traditional,' which is Shelley poking fun at the British conservatives' fondness for tradition and precedent. The mention of Ionian ancestry leads to the pun that follows: Ionian turns into Ion, which then becomes John—a clever play on words that mocks how institutions often inflate their claims of ancient legitimacy through dubious etymology.

  3. I am called Ion, which, by interpretation, / Is JOHN; in plain Theban, that is to say,

    Editor's note

    Shelley guides the audience through a deliberately absurd play on words: Ion (in Greek) sounds like John (in English), so the mythological Minotaur becomes John Bull. The term 'Plain Theban' is a joke—Thebes is a Greek city, not somewhere people speak plain English—which highlights the ridiculousness of the entire argument, reflecting how political rhetoric often disguises nonsense in sophisticated-sounding language.

  4. My name's JOHN BULL; I am a famous hunter, / And can leaf any gate in all Boeotia,

    Editor's note

    John Bull was a cartoon representation of England, similar to how Uncle Sam represents America. By portraying him as a bull-man, Shelley removes the appealing patriotic image and reveals something more brutish and clumsy. The phrase 'Leaf any gate' is a playful twist on 'leap any gate' — the bull's claim of physical strength also comments on how the English establishment bulldozes through legal and social barriers whenever it benefits them. Boeotia symbolizes England throughout the play.

  5. Even the palings of the royal park, / Or double ditch about the new enclosures;

    Editor's note

    The term 'new enclosures' carries a pointed political meaning. The Enclosure Acts from the late 18th and early 19th centuries cut off access to common land, forcing rural poor people in England to lose their homes and livelihoods. The Minotaur claiming he can jump over these ditches adds a layer of dark irony: John Bull, who is often seen as a symbol of the people, is actually part of the system that undermines the lives of ordinary folks.

  6. And if your Majesty will deign to mount me, / At least till you have hunted down your game, / I will not throw you.

    Editor's note

    The Minotaur presents himself as a mount to 'Iona Taurina,' symbolizing Queen Caroline, the estranged wife of George IV. This offer is heavy with meaning: a bull carrying a queen is both absurd and degrading, while the phrase 'hunted down your game' portrays the political struggle as a form of blood sport. 'I will not throw you' serves as a backhanded reassurance — reminiscent of what a barely-tamed beast might say — implying that the relationship between the people and the monarchy is shaky at best.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

Gleefully savage. Shelley writes with the energy of someone who sees the entire political establishment as genuinely absurd and encourages you to laugh at it before feeling anger. The classical references — Minotaur, Europa, Boeotia — maintain a facade of high culture over what is really a brutal cartoon. Beneath the humor lies genuine fury, but the surface brims with theatrical flair and clever wordplay.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The Minotaur / John Bull
The Minotaur represents the traditional English everyman figure, John Bull, but Shelley takes the bull aspect literally to reveal what he perceives as the brutish and unthinking side of English nationalism, along with the institutions that take advantage of it.
Boeotia
Boeotia represents England in *Swellfoot the Tyrant*. In classical tradition, the Boeotians were often portrayed as dull and slow-witted, which Shelley used to criticize what he viewed as the political ignorance of the English ruling class.
The new enclosures
A direct reference to the Enclosure Acts, which privatized common land and pushed rural workers into poverty. Their mention here connects the mythological satire to a very real and persistent injustice in Shelley's England.
The hunt
Hunting was a pastime for the aristocracy, and depicting political conflict as a hunt highlights the power imbalance: those in authority chase their adversaries like they chase game — for enjoyment, with a significant advantage.
Europa
Europa represents both the mythological figure whom Zeus seduced while disguised as a bull and a clever play on the name Europe, linking English political corruption to the wider European themes of monarchy and oppression.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Shelley wrote *Swellfoot the Tyrant* in 1820 as a direct reaction to the trial of Queen Caroline, which George IV initiated by trying to divorce her through a Bill of Pains and Penalties, accusing her of adultery. The public largely supported Caroline, viewing the trial as a hypocritical move by a king infamous for his own affairs. From his vantage point in Italy, Shelley quickly penned this satirical drama in the style of Aristophanes. Although the play was published anonymously, the Society for the Suppression of Vice threatened legal action, leading the publisher to withdraw it almost immediately. The excerpt presented here is from Act I, where classical mythological figures—each a thinly veiled representation of real political figures—jostle in a grotesque theatrical setting. Shelley's critique extends beyond George IV to encompass the entire machinery of monarchy, aristocracy, and a press he viewed as complicit in the oppression of ordinary people.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

It's from a play: *Swellfoot the Tyrant* (1820), a satirical drama inspired by the comedies of the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. This passage features a speech by the character Minotaur, complete with stage directions. While it reads like verse due to Shelley’s use of blank verse for the dialogue, it is part of a theatrical script rather than a standalone poem.

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