Discuss the theme of the poem 'The Cloud' by Shelley.

One of the peom's main themes is nature. Every element of nature mentioned in "The Cloud" is personified, rendering the inanimate natural world full of life and drama. Each piece of nature has its own personality, from the calm, majestic sun to the lively, energetic lightning. Shelley stresses that the natural world has drama, but not conflict. Its many personalities work together and take turns dominating the earth and sky. Thus in a storm, the cloud becomes the most dominant part of nature, blotting out the sun. Yet during a sunrise, the cloud bears the sun upward into the sky. These natural personalities have little angst when it comes to taking turns wielding power. Instead, they each seem to take joy and satisfaction in natural phenomena in general, with the cloud praising the moon or taking respite during a magnificent sunset. The cloud, like the other personified characters, understands that nature works on a cyclical rather than a linear timeline, making every phase in the cycle necessary.

For additional information on the poem's themes, check out GradeSaver's theme page in its study guide for the unit.