What does 'this world is all too wide for thee' mean?

Shelley suggests that the world is vast and barren, providing no refuge for someone in deep sorrow. Here, "width" symbolizes loneliness and vulnerability rather than freedom. For Fanny — and for Misery, which Shelley gives human qualities to — there's nowhere to find solace.

Why does Shelley feel guilty in this poem?

He admits that he noticed Fanny's voice trembling when they said goodbye, but he didn't see it as a sign of trouble. He acknowledges that he walked away without really hearing her words. The poem reflects his struggle with that lack of attention.

Is this poem a complete work or just a fragment?

It’s usually considered a complete short poem, although some scholars refer to it as a fragment due to its short length and the fact that Shelley didn’t prepare it for publication himself. Mary Shelley published it in 1839 as a finished work.

What is the rhyme scheme and does it matter?

The first four lines follow an ABAB rhyme scheme, while the last couplet uses an AA format, rhyming 'thee' with the repeated 'Misery.' This transition to a closed couplet at the end creates a sense of closure — similar to a door closing. It emphasizes that there’s nothing left to express.

Why does Shelley repeat the word 'Misery'?

The repetition — 'Misery — O Misery' — captures how grief often manifests when someone finds it hard to express themselves. It transforms Misery into more than just an emotion; it becomes a presence, which makes the address ('for thee') feel more immediate and visceral.

How does this poem compare to Shelley's other elegies?

Shelley's most famous elegy is *Adonais*, a lengthy and intricate poem that mourns Keats and pulls from classical pastoral traditions. In contrast, this poem is only six lines long, lacking mythology and grand rhetoric. This simplicity makes it feel more intimate and sincere than his more formal elegies.

What was happening in Shelley's life when he wrote this?

1816 was an exceptionally bleak year for his circle. Fanny passed away in October, and Harriet Shelley — Percy's estranged first wife — took her own life in November. Meanwhile, Mary was in the midst of writing *Frankenstein*. The poem emerges from a time filled with profound loss and turmoil.

The Annotated Edition

On Fanny Godwin by Percy Bysshe Shelley

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

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Shelley pens a brief, guilt-laden elegy for Fanny Godwin, his wife Mary's half-sister, who took her own life in 1816.

Poet: Percy Bysshe Shelley
Core theme: Death

The PoemFull text

On Fanny Godwin

Percy Bysshe Shelley

[Published by Mrs. Shelley, among the poems of 1817, in “Poetical Works”, 1839, 1st edition.] Her voice did quiver as we parted, Yet knew I not that heart was broken From which it came, and I departed Heeding not the words then spoken. Misery—O Misery, _5 This world is all too wide for thee. ***

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

Shelley pens a brief, guilt-laden elegy for Fanny Godwin, his wife Mary's half-sister, who took her own life in 1816. He reflects on their last goodbye, recognizing too late that her quivering voice was a silent plea for help that went unnoticed. The closing couplet looks beyond, expressing that the world feels overwhelmingly vast and indifferent for anyone bearing such deep sorrow.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

Her voice did quiver as we parted, / Yet knew I not that heart was broken
Editor's note
The entire poem consists of a single stanza, which brings everything together. Shelley begins with a vivid memory: Fanny's voice trembled during their farewell. He quickly acknowledges that he didn't grasp the significance of that trembling — he was unaware that her heart was already shattered. The phrase 'knew I not' instead of 'I did not know' places his ignorance front and center, creating the feeling of a confession. The next two lines intensify the guilt: he left and paid little attention to what she said. The phrase 'Heeding not the words then spoken' serves as a stark self-accusation — he was present, she spoke, and he simply ignored her. The final couplet, 'Misery — O Misery, / This world is all too wide for thee,' transitions from personal reflection to a lament directed at Misery itself. It suggests that the world is so vast and empty that someone burdened by grief has nowhere to find solace. It feels almost like an epitaph, and the repetition of 'Misery' evokes the sound of someone struggling to articulate the word.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone is quiet and heartbroken. There’s no anger or dramatic wailing—just the flat, stunned voice of someone replaying a moment and realizing its significance too late. The poem feels personal, like a note meant for no one in particular, which makes the grief hit harder than any grand elegy could.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The quivering voice: Fanny's trembling voice as they parted captures all the distress she couldn't express in words. It's the signal that Shelley overlooked, and it lingers throughout the poem as the one moment where everything could have changed.
The wide world: The world's width doesn't symbolize freedom or possibility here; rather, it does the opposite. For someone in deep misery, vastness signifies isolation, with no corner of comfort and nowhere to belong. This image transforms the world into an indifferent expanse that consumes the suffering person entirely.
Misery (personified): By addressing Misery directly — 'O Misery' — Shelley portrays it as a living presence, almost like a companion that once followed Fanny and now accompanies him. This elevates the poem from a personal story to a more universal exploration of grief that struggles to find a place.

§06Form & structure

Form & structure

Meter: iambic tetrameter
Rhyme: ABAB CC

§07Historical context

Historical context

Fanny Imlay Godwin was the daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft and Gilbert Imlay, born out of wedlock, and she was also the half-sister of Mary Shelley. In October 1816, at the age of twenty-two, she traveled alone to Swansea, where she died from a laudanum overdose. The Shelleys were among the last to see her alive. This tragic event occurred during an already difficult year for their circle: Mary Shelley's half-sister Claire Clairmont was pregnant by Byron, and Harriet Shelley, Percy's estranged wife, would take her own life just weeks later. Percy Shelley wrote this short piece shortly after Fanny's death but never published it while he was alive. Mary Shelley later included it in the 1839 collected edition. At just six lines, it is one of the briefest works Shelley ever created, and its conciseness seems intentional—some sorrows are too profound to elaborate on.

§08FAQ

Questions readers ask

Fanny Imlay Godwin, Mary Shelley's half-sister and Percy Shelley's wife, tragically took her own life in October 1816 at the age of twenty-two. Shelley had a close connection with her through the Godwin family, and it appears the poem was crafted from a place of personal guilt and sorrow soon after her passing.

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On Fanny Godwin by Percy Bysshe Shelley

On Fanny Godwin

What this poem is about

Recurring themes

Stanza by stanza, with notes

How this poem feels

Symbols & metaphors

Form & structure

Historical context

Questions readers ask

Adjacent texts in the archive

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Annabel Lee

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