Mont Blanc: Lines Written in the Vale of Chamouni

I

The first line of Shelley’s poem presents readers with a rather lofty subject: “The everlasting universe of things.” The description directly refers to the mountain surveyed by the speaker: Mont Blanc. Mont Blanc is the highest mountain peak in the Alps and rests partially in France, Italy, and Switzerland. In its sublimity, the mountain itself represents this “everlasting universe” (Line 1). The adjective “everlasting” (Line 1) is especially daunting, as it denotes endlessness and immortality. The universe always was and always has been and is all around the (as of yet) disembodied third-person speaker. However, the noun “things” at the end of the line contrasts with this loftiness, sounding more trivial and ambiguous. It is especially out of place given the supreme grandeur of the mountain. The universe is composed of so many objects that all of them are nearly unidentifiable when taken collectively; they are simply “things” (Line 1). The “universe” takes on the shape and qualities of water in the next few lines, relating to the natural landscape the speaker describes. The “everlasting universe of things” (Line 1) “flows” and “rolls its rapid waves” (Line 2) both in the “mind” (Line 2) of the speaker and in the minds of every individual. This apparition of the universe is amorphous and fluid, constantly changing how individuals perceive it. The ambiguity of the universe’s descriptions continues as the speaker describes its changing states. One minute, the universe may seem “dark” (Line 3) while the next it may seem “glittering” (Line 3). One second the universe may be “reflecting gloom” (Line 3) while the next second it may be “lending splendour” (Line 4).

This “splendour” (Line 4) the wonders and beauty of the natural world creates supplies “the source of human thought” (Line 5) that arises from “secret springs” (Line 4). These “secret springs” symbolize the mysterious and intangible sources of inspiration and understanding humans use to make sense of the world. Line 5 offers an intriguing word order, with the subject “source of human thought” followed by the direct object “its tribute” and then the verb “brings.” Proper syntactical structure would have the direct object come after the verb. This shift in word order puts emphasis on the “tribute” (Line 5) that Mont Blanc’s natural wonders bring forth for the reader and for all visitors. The natural beauty of the scene is so inspiring and moving that the speaker equates it with the “source” of all “human thought” (Line 5), highlighting how truly exceptional the natural scenery is. A “tribute” is defined as “something given or contributed voluntarily as due or deserved” or “a payment by one ruler or nation to another in acknowledgment of submission or as the price of protection” (“tribute.” Merriam-Webster, 2022.). It is unclear through the poem’s phrasing to whom or what the “source of human thought” (Line 5) gives this offering, whether to the visitors or to the natural setting, etc. Typically, tributes imply deference or respect and admiration, and in this situation the visitors and speaker would ideally be the ones giving tribute to Mont Blanc itself. The hierarchy of the “everlasting universe of things” (Line 1) seems just as fluid as its shape and overall existence.

This “tribute” the speaker then specifically identifies as “waters”; emphasis for this particular term is added as the speaker states this at the very beginning of Line 6 after the preceding enjambment. This clarification sheds light on the ambiguity discussed in the previous paragraph. Mont Blanc sheds waters from its snowy mountaintops to pay tribute to the surrounding universe. The quality of these “waters” (Line 6) reconnect to the “everlasting” quality of the world discussed at the very opening of the poem. The “waters” (Line 6) have “a sound but half its own” (Line 6), meaning that the waters the speaker views provide part of the sound they hear, but the rest of the sound comes from elsewhere. To clarify this further, the speaker provides an analogy: Just as a “feeble brook” (Line 7) located “In the wild woods” that winds “among the mountains lone” (Line 8) makes noise amid the natural landscape, so do the “waterfalls around it” (Line 9) that “leap for ever” (Line 9). The sounds of the small brook may be too weak and subdued to create echoes, but the cacophony of the waterfalls that surround it create such strong reverberations that their echoes resound endlessly among the surrounding mountains. In this sense, the echoes of the waterfalls live forever “[w]here woods and winds contend” (Line 10) and even where “a vast river / Over its rocks ceaselessly bursts” (Lines 10 - 11). All of the elements combine to create a natural symphony of Mont Blanc, where the sounds of its waters mix with everything else around to create a sense of immortality. The adverb “ceaselessly” indicates that this cycle of sounds and movement will continue into perpetuity.

II

This second portion of the work shifts away from a disembodied speaker to an apostrophe, or a direct address to an inanimate object, absent individual, or nonhuman entity. The speaker specifically addresses the “Ravine of Arve” (Line 12) and readers can now assume that this specific ravine, or gorge, is the watery tribute of Mont Blanc described in detail in the preceding section. The Arve is a river that runs through France and Switzerland and receives water from the Chamonix Valley located north of Mont Blanc. Even when the speaker does not state the full name “Ravine of Arve” (Line 12), they still capitalize “Ravine” when it is used as a common noun, personifying it and making it into its own entity. The speaker describes this ravine, the source of the thundering sounds of water previously detailed, as “dark” and “deep” (Line 12). In addition to the auditory wonders of the setting with its “many-voiced” (Line 13) components (wind, water, echoes, etc.), the speaker also refers to the visual splendor of the scene. The ravine is “many-colour’d” (Line 13) with its plethora of “pines,” “crags,” and “caverns” (Line 14). This diverse scene also boasts “cloud-shadows” (Line 15) and “sunbeams” (Line 15). The contrasting elements of light and dark in this description again highlight the amorphous and shifting qualities of the area.

The colon that follows “sunbeams” makes readers pause a bit longer than a comma would, thus making sure readers are paying attention to what comes next and signaling its significance. What comes after the colon is an appositive, or a word or phrase renaming what comes before it. The speaker categorizes all of the natural wonders as an “awful scene” (Line 15). “Awful” in this sense does not refer to something “dreadful” or “bad,” but rather something “awe-inspiring.” As mentioned in the opening section of the poem, the power of nature is inspiring and energizing. This particular scene is so inspirational because that is where “Power” (Line 16) exists “in likeness of the Arve” (Line 16). The river Arve, a river that runs through France and Switzerland, is the guise assumed by the “Power” of the universe. The capitalization of “Power” personifies this energy, making it into an omnipotent force woven throughout nature. The speaker describes the route of the Arve as falling “From the ice-gulfs” (Line 17) that surround “his secret throne” (Line 17). It is interesting to note that this all-powerful natural force has a masculine pronoun, especially since nature is often feminized. The fact that the Arve “comes down” (Line 16) through Mont Blanc indicates that it flows from a great height—so high that the origin of its waters is “secret” (Line 17). This point will be reiterated in the third section of the poem. Using metaphor, the speaker elaborates on the power of the river, equating its “[b]ursting through these dark mountains” (Line 18) like “lightning” (Line 19) strikes through a storm, or “tempest” (Line 19). Equating the river’s power to that of lightning helps to make it more comprehensible for the reader.

The speaker once again elaborates on the eternality of the natural world in the following lines. According to the speaker, the Arve lies with a “giant brood of pines” (Line 20) that cling to its banks. By referring to the trees as the river’s “brood,” the speaker implies that they are the river’s offspring. In addition to being powerful, the Arve gains another trait: life-giving. The speaker even specifically refers to these trees as “Children of elder time” (Line 21). The trees may be “Children” and progeny of the river, but they are ancient in and of themselves. Just as the trees connect with the river in the interconnecting web of life and time, so are the trees connected to the wind. The winds that blow through the pines are “chainless “(Line 22), meaning they are not connected and are free-moving. These winds, according to the speaker, have been around for just as long as the trees, as they note that they “come and ever came” (Line 22). The winds have been coming for ages, seemingly for “ever” (Line 22), to enjoy the “odours” (Line 23) of the pines and to listen to the “mighty swinging” (Line 23) of the pines creating their “old and solemn harmony” (Line 24). This omnipotent “Power” (Line 16) of nature and human inspiration continues to be intricately woven together, combining the natural with the spiritual, the tangible with the intangible.

The speaker employs juxtaposition to enhance the reader’s comprehension of the physical/spiritual binary present in the poem. In the Arve’s falling waters, “earthly rainbows” (Line 25) arc over an “aethereal waterfall” (Line 26). Rainbows, while visible to the human eye, are immaterial refractions of light, as opposed to “earthly” (Line 25) and physical objects. Waterfalls, on the other hand, are quite physical, plying the viewer’s senses of sight, sound and touch. They are quite the opposite of “ethereal” (the more contemporary spelling of “aethereal”), which typically refers to something not of this world or something extremely delicate. This juxtaposition increases the reader’s mystery of the natural world and all it has to offer the human mind. After the speaker has described the exterior landscape of the Arve, they decide to delve further and deeper into what lies beneath its surface. Behind the “veil” (Line 26) of the waterfall lies “some unsculptur’d image” (Line 27) that is hidden from view. Describing the form that lies behind the waterfall as “unsculptur’d” indicates that it has not been molded or formed yet. The block of rock or whatever material lies behind the misty cover of the waterfall is full of possibilities. Viewers can see in it what they will if they dare to explore deeper with the speaker. This component of the natural landscape is open to individual interpretation. Behind the waterfall, where this possibility lies, the setting reminds the speaker of a “strange sleep” (Line 27). This strange sleep is that “[w]hich when the voices of the desert fail” (Line 28) leads all to a “deep eternity” (Line 29). These “voices of the desert” (Line 28) could symbolically refer to the voices or mirages one hears when they are lost in a desert alone, or they could more broadly refer to signs of life amid absolute nothingness or despair. Whatever the implication, when all signs of life are gone, all that is left is death, or “deep eternity” (29). The reference to “eternity” (Line 29) echoes the references to endlessness and interconnection the speaker mentions earlier in the poem.

Eternity, the absence of time and space, parallels the “caverns” (Line 30) located behind the Arve’s waterfall. Within these open abysses echoes “the Arve’s commotion” (Line 30). The sounds that the Arve makes are “loud” and “lone” (Line 31), meaning they are singular and unique. There is nothing else that compares to the sounds of the Arve and nothing as powerful and impactful. In fact, the sound of the Arve is one that “no other sound can tame” (Line 31). As this second stanza of the poem continues, the speaker continues to muse on the omnipotent and eternal qualities of the Arve and the surrounding landscape of Mont Blanc. The Arve is “pervaded” with “ceaseless motion” (Line 32). “Pervaded” means that the river is imbued or filled with this endless motion. This could refer to the constant movement of water down the Arve’s banks, or, on a deeper level, to the endless motion of time and the constant shifting of the universe. The speaker also identifies the Arve as having “unresting sound” (Line 33). Again, this could refer to the repetitive sounds of the river as it flows along its “path” (Line 33), or it could refer to the integration of the water’s sounds with those of the wind and trees in a universal harmony. These “unresting” (Line 33) sounds keep playing on without cessation.

The next line opens with an exclamation as the speaker addresses the surrounding landscape itself as an individual entity, exclaiming “Dizzy Ravine!” (Line 34). Here “dizzy” characterizes the shape and movement of the ravine with its flowing waters contrasting with the soaring heights of Mont Blanc. Yet, the adjective seems to apply more to the speaker. For the first time, the speaker refers to themself directly using the first-person pronoun “I.” The preceding lines were all focused on describing the appearance of the natural setting and the interconnectedness and perpetuation of all things. Now though, the speaker details the impact of this scenery on their mind. The “dizzy” (Line 34) descriptor indicates the speaker’s inability to definitively pinpoint their thoughts and emotions. As they look at Mont Blanc and the Arve, they are “in a trance sublime and strange” (Line 35). Being in a “trance” implies the speaker is mesmerized by the natural wonders around them. Nature is so powerful that it essentially hypnotizes its onlookers with its awe-inspiring and incomprehensible power. Also, the word “trance” implies some sort of removal from reality. Something that is “sublime” (Line 35) likewise indicates that something is too grandiose to be fully comprehended; it is beyond human understanding. Though the speaker describes the reality of what they are seeing all around them, they cannot help but “muse” (Line 36), or ponder, their “own separate fantasy” (Line 36). Here again is an example of another binary present in Shelley’s poem. The reality of nature contrasts with the fantasy the speaker gets drawn into as they gaze about them. They are so inspired by nature that they begin creating in their own mind. This drive to create may occur as a result of the incomprehensibility they experience.

The speaker goes into more detail about how the mind functions when presented with such sublime surroundings. They pointedly refer to the “human mind” (Line 37), giving the poem a more technical and anatomical tone. The mind “passively” (Line 37) takes in the natural wonders of the world, just absorbing what the body sees and storing it in the brain. The “fast influencings” (Line 38)—the external stimuli of sight, sound, and touch—are what the mind “renders and receives” (Line 38) as it files away this information. The speaker identifies this absorption of information as an “unremitting interchange” (Line 39). “Unremitting” indicates that these stimuli are ceaseless and unabating. They just keep coming at the speaker, constantly probing their way into their mind. This is fitting given the undulating and constant motion of the universe and nature the speaker describes earlier. This transfer of stimuli occurs between the speaker and “the clear universe of things around” (Line 40). Here is the culmination of the connection the speaker has been describing since the beginning of the poem. All things are interconnected—the river to the trees, to the wind, and now, even the human mind can tap into the everlasting existence of the universe. The repetition of “universe of things” (Line 40) echoes the same phrase stated in the first line of the poem, helping to bring the ending of this second section even closer toward completion and resolution.

The musings of the speaker inspired by the Arve and Mont Blanc take on a life of their own, showing the power of the human mind. The speaker may seem physically passive as they receive the external stimuli of nature (which would be a very one-sided interchange, indeed), but what they return to the universe and contribute are “[o]ne legion of wild thoughts” (Line 41). A “legion” refers to something that is vast or large in number, and “wild” indicates that these musings have no order or structure but are rather disorganized. These thoughts have free reign of the universe as they “float” (Line 42) about on “wandering wings” (Line 41). The musings seem to touch upon everything before them, retracing the detailed descriptions the speaker has just given of the Arve and Mont Blanc. The thoughts are as varied as the different binaries the speaker has conveyed throughout the poem. One minute they may “float above thy darkness” (Line 42), and the next they may “rest” (Line 42). “Thy” refers back to the “Dizzy Ravine” specifically, the source of all of this inspiration. Beyond the ravine with its river and mountain backdrop, “thy” refers more broadly to the expansive universe and everything in it. When the thoughts of the speaker seem to rest, ending their flight and ceaseless motion, they do so where “that or thou art no unbidden guest” (Line 43). “That” serves as a pronoun replacing the “darkness” mentioned in the preceding line while “thou” refers back to the ravine/river. They are welcome into “the still cave of the witch Poesy” (Line 44) because of the inspiration they provide. Darkness, while it often seems frightening or conveys negative attributes, can lead to new discoveries and revelations. The river and the natural landscape are fodder for the imagination (specifically for writing poetry) with their beauty and sublimity. These musings and inspirations help the speaker to create their poetry, here represented by the “witch Poesy” (Line 44). By capitalizing “Poesy” the speaker personifies this creative act as an entity in and of itself, and by labeling it as a “witch,” they give the act of writing a nearly supernatural and otherworldly quality. This reference fits with the “fantasy” reference given a few lines earlier in the poem. Writing and enjoying one’s natural surroundings has the ability, according to the speaker, to transport the writer (and the reader) to other realms. However, this ability isn’t open to everyone, as Poesy lies hidden and covered in a “cave” (Line 44), a location that must first be discovered, excavated and explored.

All of the thoughts and musings the speaker has from the Arve/Mont Blanc and that inspire their writing carry traces of this natural scenery. Each thought can be directly traced back to the beauty of this natural setting. The thoughts are “shadows” (Line 45) or “ghosts” (Line 46) that reflect “all things that are” or “some shade of thee” (Line 46). “Thee” (Line 46) indicates the Arve/ravine itself and its connection to all existence. Every thought that the speaker has connects them to the larger universe and to the physical environment they find themselves in. The reference to “ghosts” (Line 46) and “phantom[s]” (Line 47) fits with the mention of “witch” (Line 44), as all carry with them some supernatural or mystical element. These references add a whimsical element to the text. All of the speaker’s thoughts pass through the world like these otherworldly and invisible entities, unseen and unheard yet all carrying the remnants of “some faint image” (Line 47) of the natural inspiration from which they came. When the “breast” (Line 47), or the physical person from whom the thoughts came, “recalls them” or begins to reflect more somberly and deeply upon them, the speaker claims “thou art there” (Line 48). “Thou” once more harkens back to the ravine/mountain. This last line of the section drives home the interconnectedness of all things in the universe. By seeing and being inspired by the wonders of Mont Blanc and the Arve, these natural fixtures become a part of the speaker and all who look upon them. The reference to “breast” in this second to last line of Section 2 indicates to readers that while the musings and thoughts of the speaker begin in the mind, they end and become incorporated in the speaker’s heart, their center for passion and emotion.