著者

伊藤 真紀

出版者

福岡女子大学

雑誌

Kasumigaoka review (ISSN:13489240)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.13, pp.61-72, 2007-02

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It was the life's work of P.B. Shelley to discover the relationship between ascendance and submission. His works which include poetry and prose express revolutionary suggestions on the contemporary world. Shelley regards the contemporary world as being in a state of imperialism caused by the advent of Industrial Revolution. He endeavours to stop the spread of a disparity in wealth by Capitalism and to correct the egoistic posture of wealthy classes. He writes various works to create his ideal world. Shelley's Vegetarianism is one of his many attempts at protest. Shelley considered that eating had a great effect on creatures including human beings. Based on the idea that animal food produces physical and psychic corruption, Shelley inhibits animal food and recommends Vegetarianism. Shelley issued a pamphlet about Vegetarianism, therewithal he wrote a note about it in Queen Mab (1813). In 1812 Shelley wrote "A Vindication of Natural Diet", which describes the reasons for and the significance of the Vegetarian Diet. In the essay, he tries to prove the idea that diet has an influence not only on people but on all creatures. As a meat diet brings people to fierceness based on vice, decomposition and selfishness, people have to abstain from a meat diet. If people and all other creatures change from a meat diet to a Vegetarian Diet, they will be calm, peaceful and even agricultural in character. Shelley regards the meat diet as the root of all evil in modem capitalism.