Queen Mab: A Philosophical Poem

The opening of the poem compares death to sleep—Ianthe’s resting body could be in either state. The poem ends with Queen Mab comforting Ianthe’s spirit with the knowledge that death is only the end of the body—the soul survives death. This hopeful message counters Shelley’s conviction that the fear of death has been a powerful negative force in human history; the poem argues that letting go of this fear will help humans achieve a more virtuous civilization.

When Queen Mab describes the destruction that wars and poverty have wrought on the world, she shows at the heart of these ills lies the fear of death, which leads people to follow corrupt religions or leaders. Religions rely on this fear to enslave their followers and keep them from a greater understanding of nature, creating harsh living conditions and promising that religious and political wars are the only solution. People who fear death and do not understand the natural law are willing to die needlessly for these causes.

Although the poem relies on the Christian ideas of the soul and the afterlife, Shelley vision of life after death differs from that of traditional Christianity. In the poem, Ianthe’s spirit is the product not of God, who doesn’t exist, but of Nature—an impersonal force that does not judge humanity, but simply exists to protect and perpetuate life. Queen Mab tells Ianthe not to fear the death of her physical form, as her virtuous soul will continue to exist eternally in nature.