Peter Bell the Third

audiobook

Peter Bell the Third

by Percy Bysshe Shelley

EN·~40 minutes·11 chapters

Chapters

11 total
1

PETER BELL THE THIRD.

0:01
2

By Percy Bysshe Shelley (Miching Mallecho)

0:22
3

DEDICATION. - TO THOMAS BROWN, ESQ., THE YOUNGER, H.F.

3:54
4

PROLOGUE.

1:38
5

PART 1. DEATH.

3:24
6

PART 2. THE DEVIL.

3:08
7

PART 3. HELL.

5:09
8

PART 4. SIN.

4:54
9

PART 5. GRACE.

3:44
10

PART 6. DAMNATION.

8:39

Description

A mischievous, self‑referential satire unfolds as the narrator invites us into the bewildering world of Peter Bell the Third. Through a kaleidoscope of literary allusions—Shakespeare, Wordsworth, and classical epics—the text teases the listener with a portrait of a man who is at once many selves, a chameleon of personality and purpose. The opening frames Peter as the “dullest” of three equally puzzling counterparts, yet hints at a deeper, almost philosophical quest for identity amid a chaotic social scene. The tone oscillates between mock‑grandiloquence and witty commentary, setting the stage for a comic‑philosophical adventure.

In the first act, our guide, a flamboyant correspondent, presents Peter to an eccentric family while musings on the nature of reality, literature, and the absurdities of fame swirl around him. Listeners will encounter a blend of poetic fragments, faux‑epic declarations, and playful footnotes that challenge conventional storytelling. The result is a charmingly chaotic journey that invites you to linger over each twist of language as the mystery of the three Peters begins to unfold.

Details

Language

en

Duration

~40 minutes (38K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Sue Asscher, and David Widger

Release date

2003-11-01

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

Subjects

About the author

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Percy Bysshe Shelley

1792–1822

A leading voice of English Romanticism, his poems unite beauty, rebellion, and big questions about freedom, nature, and human hope. Though he died at just 29, works like "Ozymandias" and "Ode to the West Wind" helped secure his lasting place in literature.

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