Pyle, ForestSchmolke, Vivian2020-02-272020-02-27https://hdl.handle.net/1794/25226On first read, “Lift Not the Painted Veil” supposedly instruct the reader to not lift the painted veil called life as it only is a mirage/mirror of reality painted to convince people that it is truth; however, this reading is too literal and fails to reveal the power behind the ambiguities that exist between the lines. I utilize Shelley’s Defense of Poetry and his close analysis of the awe-full ability poetic language has on its subject and apply his theory to “Lift Not the Painted Veil” and, in doing so, I illustrate the way Shelley utilizes language to provoke philosophical, visual, and affective moments of expression in his early sonnet. “Lift Not the Painted Veil” emphasizes the importance of apprehending a hidden beauty when attempting to break free from the monotony of life. By apprehending this poem and allowing the poetic language to overwhelm us, we can begin to find truth.en-USAll Rights Reserved.ApprehensionShelleyVeilElectronic Thesis or Dissertation