THE AZIOLA. by Percy Bysshe Shelley: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
A man hears his wife Mary mention a strange sound during the evening twilight, and he panics, thinking "the Aziola" must be some bothersome person.
The poem
[Published by Mrs. Shelley in “The Keepsake”, 1829.] 1. ‘Do you not hear the Aziola cry? Methinks she must be nigh,’ Said Mary, as we sate In dusk, ere stars were lit, or candles brought; And I, who thought _5 This Aziola was some tedious woman, Asked, ‘Who is Aziola?’ How elate I felt to know that it was nothing human, No mockery of myself to fear or hate: And Mary saw my soul, _10 And laughed, and said, ‘Disquiet yourself not; ’Tis nothing but a little downy owl.’ 2. Sad Aziola! many an eventide Thy music I had heard By wood and stream, meadow and mountain-side, _15 And fields and marshes wide,— Such as nor voice, nor lute, nor wind, nor bird, The soul ever stirred; Unlike and far sweeter than them all. Sad Aziola! from that moment I _20 Loved thee and thy sad cry. NOTES: _4 ere stars]ere the stars editions 1839. _9 or]and editions 1839. _19 them]they editions 1839. ***
A man hears his wife Mary mention a strange sound during the evening twilight, and he panics, thinking "the Aziola" must be some bothersome person. When Mary laughs and explains that it’s just a small owl, he instantly feels relieved, followed by a wave of affection for the little bird and its mournful call. The poem captures a brief tale of misinterpreted anxiety transforming into an unexpected warmth.
Line-by-line
'Do you not hear the Aziola cry? / Methinks she must be nigh,'
Sad Aziola! many an eventide / Thy music I had heard
Tone & mood
The tone shifts rapidly from nervous and self-deprecating—Shelley chuckles at his own social anxiety—to genuinely tender. The first stanza has a lightness, buoyed by Mary's laughter, while the second stanza transitions into a quieter, more sincere space. The repeated word *sad* doesn't convey despair; instead, it's a kind of sadness that feels beautiful rather than painful, much like certain pieces of music.
Symbols & metaphors
- The Aziola (little owl) — The owl represents how the natural world can evoke emotions in us that are hard to express or define. Initially, Shelley feels the weight of potential social judgment associated with it. However, once she recognizes it, the owl transforms into a symbol of deep, unspoken emotions — something beyond human trivialities.
- Dusk / the moment before candles or stars — This threshold between day and night captures a sense of uncertainty and possibility. It's the ideal time for something unknown to stir the mind — and for a small insight to hit harder than expected.
- Mary's laughter — Mary's laugh is soft and kind, never mocking. It shows that she gets Shelley’s anxious side and loves him just the same. Her laughter is the key moment of the poem: it eases the tension from the first stanza and invites us into the wonder of the second.
- The owl's cry as music — Shelley explicitly likens the cry to voice, lute, wind, and birdsong, claiming it surpasses them all. This notion elevates natural sound over human artistry, reflecting a common theme in Romanticism, and connects the owl's sorrow to a profound beauty.
Historical context
Shelley penned this poem around 1820–1821 while living in Italy with his wife, Mary Shelley, who is best known for writing *Frankenstein*. The term "Aziola" refers to the small owl known as the scops owl (*Otus scops*), which is famous for its repetitive, mournful call that fills the Italian evenings. During his last years, Shelley was deeply immersed in the Italian landscape and culture, and you can see a reflection of that world in many of his later poems. This particular poem wasn’t published during his lifetime; Mary included it in *The Keepsake* in 1829, seven years after he drowned in the Gulf of Spezia. Its informal, conversational start—where Mary speaks directly—stands out for Shelley and adds a sense of intimacy that distinguishes it from his more grandiose works. It feels almost like a personal memory shared with the public.
FAQ
It's the Italian name for the scops owl (*Otus scops*), a small, streaky brown owl found throughout southern Europe. Its call is a soft, repeated whistle—mournful and persistent—that echoes through the evening landscape. Shelley was living in Italy when he wrote the poem, so he likely heard it often.
He didn’t know the Italian word, so when Mary asked about "the Aziola," he thought it was a name—likely some woman he should know. His first response (fear, maybe even a bit of hatred) shows his social anxiety. The joke’s on him, but he’s self-aware enough to laugh about it when he learns the truth.
Mary is Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, who was married to Percy and wrote *Frankenstein*. The poem reflects a genuine domestic moment they shared, which is part of what makes it feel so distinct from Shelley's more renowned and lofty creations.
The scops owl's call truly has a melancholy tone — a solitary, repetitive note echoing in the night. However, Shelley also employs *sad* in its older meaning of 'serious' or 'weighty.' The owl's cry resonates with him profoundly, and *sad* conveys that sense of depth. It's not quite grief; rather, it's the feeling evoked by hauntingly beautiful sounds in solitude.
He's making a romantic argument: that raw nature can connect with us on a deeper level than any human art or even other natural sounds. The owl's cry goes straight to our instincts, bypassing the intellect. It's a statement about how the wild world can move us in ways that culture simply can't replicate.
Shelley died in a sailing accident in 1822, leaving many of his shorter lyrics unpublished. Mary Shelley dedicated years to editing and publishing his work after his death. She included this poem in *The Keepsake*, an annual literary gift book, in 1829. Her choice to feature this particular poem — in which she appears — indicates it was personally significant to her.
It contains two stanzas of different lengths and lacks a strict metrical pattern — the lengths of the lines vary quite a bit. The rhyme scheme is relaxed but noticeable (cry/nigh, brought/thought, elate/hate, etc.). This casualness fits well with the conversational, anecdotal tone of the first stanza, while the second transitions into a more lyrical quality without feeling constricted.
It's much quieter and more intimate. 'Ode to the West Wind' is grand, urgent, and politically charged. 'The Aziola' presents a small domestic scene that evolves into a personal reflection. Both poems draw meaning from the sounds of nature, but while Shelley seeks to merge with the force of the West Wind, the Aziola is simply something he loves — devoid of ambition or struggle, just pure affection.