Percy Bysshe Shelley - The Cenci: "Poets and philosophers are the unacknowledged legislators of the world."

The tragic verse play centers on the real-life story of Beatrice Cenci, a young Italian woman executed in 1599 for her father's murder. Inspired by a portrait of Beatrice, Shelley crafted a narrative that reflects deep despair and complexity, though it faced challenges in being performed during his lifetime. Despite limited publication and recognition, it stands out as his only work to see a second edition, with later acclaim likening its emotional depth to that of Shakespeare. Shelley's untimely death just before his 30th birthday left a void in the literary world, cutting short a promising legacy.