At the end of "Ode to the West Wind," the speaker betrays his deepest concern: the fate of his ideas. He hopes that his words and thoughts will be spread throughout the world. He’s not sure of the quality of his thinking, but at least it can provide a starting point for other thinkers.
Questions About Language and Communication
- Why does the speaker ask the West Wind to use him as its instrument? Doesn’t he have any ideas of his own?
- Why can’t the speaker communicate his ideas to the world without the West Wind’s help?
- Why does the speaker want to disseminate his ideas around the globe? What good does he think that will do?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
The speaker in "Ode to the West Wind" has grand ideas, but needs the help of a force more powerful than himself to make them heard.