Written in 1816, This lyric hymn combines the Romantic ideal of communion with nature and Shelley’s own philosophy of aestheticism. The “Intellectual Beauty” of the title refers to an intellectual idea of beauty, an abstract represented in the poem by the “Power" or the “Spirit”, which comes fleetingly into the human heart and disappears again. Shelley explores the characteristics of beauty — and of course it always resides in nature and the uplifting human response to it.

It is ironic that Shelley — an atheist in an age of deep and often rigid religious belief — should have written a ‘hymn’. But the spirit of beauty expressed in the Hymn is not related to God or the supernatural, but is part of the real world and of human experience.

The “Hymn to Intellectual Beauty” is a precursor to his later poems, “To a Skylark” and “Ode to the West Wind.” Shelley has taken Wordsworth’s earlier Romantic theme of the positive impact of the natural world on humans, and developed it into his own idea of beauty and its relationship to religion.

Themes

The heroic role of the poet — The poet has a deep, mystical appreciation for nature, and can translate truths about the cosmos into poetry that the public can understand. Thus, a poet has the ability to change the world for the better and to bring about political, social, and spiritual change. Ironically, this straining to link with humanity requires visionary power that is isolating. But ultimately the poet triumphs because his art is immortal, outlasting government, religion, and restrictive society rules and living on to inspire new generations.

The Poetic Imagination — This power seems to come from a mystical place and provides inspiration, the source of creativeness and originality, empowering the human mind.

The Power of Nature — Shelley was a Pantheist and believed that Nature or a divine spirit of beauty, runs through everything in the universe. This force can be the root of human joy and goodness and can influence people to change the world for the better, though he is also aware of its indiscriminately destructive side.

Structure
The poem comprises seven stanzas of twelve lines each, with a highly complex rhyme scheme; five lines with an ABBAA pattern, followed by a rhyming couplet CC, three more rhyming lines DEE, and a final closed couplet FF. Lines are of uneven length.

Language
Shelley’s most notable characteristic is his use of abstract words like ‘Love’, ‘Hope’, ‘Desire’. Also his description of the cosmos, as in ‘'Ocean’, ‘Forest’ etc. This gives his poetry an ethereal, other-worldly quality in which the spiritual significance behind the ideas is more important than the words themselves.