The Real Shelley. New Views of the Poet's Life. Vol. 2 (of 2)

A revisionist biography traces the poet's life through intimate and public episodes, reassessing his friendships, lovers, and family ties while scrutinizing earlier accounts. The narrative devotes chapters to William Godwin and to Mary Wollstonecraft, detailing their personalities, relationships, and controversies; it examines the figure of Mary Jane Clairmont and her circle; and it follows the poet’s political engagements, travels, literary labors, financial imprudence, and interpersonal quarrels. The author marshals documentary evidence and critique to challenge prior biographical claims, aiming to correct inaccuracies and offer a more nuanced account of character, motives, and the domestic and public circumstances that shaped the poet’s career.