Summary:
Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem Mutability explores the theme of change, emphasizing that everything in life is temporary and constantly evolving. Shelley uses vivid imagery and metaphors to illustrate the fleeting nature of human experiences, emotions, and existence.
The poem suggests that nothing remains the same, comparing human life to fleeting clouds, fading music, and dreams that disappear upon waking. These images reinforce the idea that change is inevitable, and no state—whether joy or sorrow—can last forever. Shelley highlights the unpredictable and ever-changing nature of the human mind, where happiness and suffering come and go like passing clouds.
Ultimately, Mutability conveys a philosophical message: the only certainty in life is change itself. The poem aligns with the Romantic ideal of embracing nature and recognizing human limitations in the face of time and transformation.
MCQs:
- Who wrote Mutability?
a) John Keats
b) Percy Bysshe Shelley
c) William Wordsworth
d) Lord Byron
Answer: b) Percy Bysshe Shelley - What is the central theme of Mutability?
a) The permanence of human emotions
b) The inevitable change in life and nature
c) The power of love over time
d) The beauty of the natural world
Answer: b) The inevitable change in life and nature - What does Shelley compare human life to in Mutability?
a) A flowing river
b) Clouds in the sky
c) Fading music notes
d) A blooming flower
Answer: c) Fading music notes
Mutability - What literary device is heavily used in Mutability?
a) Simile
b) Metaphor
c) Alliteration
d) Irony
Answer: b) Metaphor - According to Shelley, what is the only constant in life?
a) Happiness
b) Suffering
c) Change
d) Death
Answer: c) Change - What does Shelley imply about human emotions in Mutability?
a) They remain the same forever
b) They change quickly like nature
c) They have no real impact on life
d) They are more powerful than time
Answer: b) They change quickly like nature - What poetic form does Mutability follow?
a) Sonnet
b) Free verse
c) Lyric poetry
d) Blank verse
Answer: c) Lyric poetry - Which natural element does Shelley use as a metaphor for human life in Mutability?
a) Mountains
b) Clouds
c) The sea
d) Trees
Answer: b) Clouds - What does Shelley mean by “Man’s yesterday may ne’er be like his morrow”?
a) The past and future are always the same
b) Every day brings change and unpredictability
c) Life is completely controlled by fate
d) Humans have no control over their actions
Answer: b) Every day brings change and unpredictability - In which year was Mutability written?
a) 1802
b) 1816
c) 1822
d) 1830
Answer: b) 1816
| Question | Answer |
| Poem Name | Mutability |
| Poet | Percy Bysshe Shelley |
| Year Written | 1816 |
| Year Published | 1816 |
| Poem Type | Lyric poetry |
| Rhyme Scheme | ABAB |
| Themes | Change, transience of life, time, human emotions |
| Literary Devices | Metaphor, imagery, personification, symbolism |
| Famous Line | “Man’s yesterday may ne’er be like his morrow” |