Tragedy as both personal and political: review of The First Last Man by Eileen Hunt [Book Review]

History of European Ideas (forthcoming)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

The First Last Man is the third installment of Hunt’s trilogy on Shelley’s thought. It deftly weaves together different interpretive and political theory methods. Her careful archival work in particular stands out. She uses Shelley’s journals as an entry into the author’s psyche and motivations for writing The Last Man. While walking the reader through the journals, Hunt convincingly shows the cathartic role that writing The Last Man had for the young Shelley after her husband drowned and her first three children all died. Just as Lionel Verney, the protagonist of The Last Man, chooses to push forward and find meaning in the world even as it falls apart around him, so too does Shelley.

Author's Profile

Ben Jones
Pennsylvania State University

Analytics

Added to PP
2025-01-29

Downloads
42 (#102,690)

6 months
42 (#97,830)

Historical graph of downloads since first upload
This graph includes both downloads from PhilArchive and clicks on external links on PhilPapers.
How can I increase my downloads?