Literature
Mary Shelley’s Macabre Connection: The Mysterious Fate of Percy Shelley’s Heart
Unraveling Macabre Practices: Mary Shelley and Percy Shelley’s Heart
ldquo;Did Mary Shelley keep her deceased husbandrsquo;s heart in a hankie?rdquo; is a question that has long intrigued historians and enthusiasts of the Romantic era. The story of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s heart and its mysterious journey offers a fascinating glimpse into the macabre practices of 19th-century Britain, enhancing our understanding of Mary Shelley and her connections to her dead husband.
The Tragic End of Percy Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley, a prominent figure of the Romantic movement, met a tragic end on July 8, 1822, when he drowned off the coast of Italy during a storm. His body was transported to Leghorn, where it was cremated in the presence of his close friends, Edward Trelawny and Leigh Hunt. The cremation was a widely documented event, as Shelley’s friends recorded it in Trelawnyrsquo;s memoirs.
The Heartless Remains
Contrary to common belief, Shelleyrsquo;s heart did not burn in the cremation. According to the accounts by Trelawny, a significant portion of Shelleyrsquo;s heart was not consumed by the fire. Edward Trelawny, one of Shelleyrsquo;s long-time companions, managed to retrieve this heart and entrusted it to Leigh Hunt, a fellow poet and close friend to the Shelleys.
Hunt, in turn, passed the heart to Mary Shelley, Percyrsquo;s widowed wife. This unusual act of keeping a close relativersquo;s heart, though not as common as Jem Hawkins’ hankie holding Captain Smynthrsquo;s heart in the popular children’s book, Swallows and Amazons, was not unprecedented in the Romantic era. This practice is a testament to the deep emotional bonds forged during the time and the unique circumstances surrounding Percy Shelleyrsquo;s death.
Final Resting Place
The fate of Shelley’s heart was finally resolved 67 years after his death, in 1889, when it was interred with the body of Percy Shelley and his son, Sir Percy Florence Shelley, in Bournemouth, England. The interment marked the end of a curious chapter in the Shelleysrsquo; history and provided closure for the family.
Theoretical Insights
Arthur Norman, in a 1955 article for the Journal of the History of Medicine, suggested that Percy Shelley may have suffered from a heart condition. Normanrsquo;s theory provides a medical backdrop to the story, offering a possible explanation for why the heart was not burned.
Conclusion
While the practice of keeping a loved onersquo;s heart may seem macabre to modern sensibilities, in the context of 19th-century Britain, it was a poignant way of commemorating a loved one. Mary Shelley’s actions in keeping Percy Shelleyrsquo;s heart serve as a powerful reminder of the deep emotional connections that can persist long after a personrsquo;s passing. This story also sheds light on the unique cultural and historical practices of the period, enriching our understanding of both Shelley and the era in which he lived.