The concept of the sublime in Shelley's poetry refers to the way that nature is above and beyond man and represents concepts such as eternal beauty and also power that shows at once the frailty of man and also his ability to learn and commune with nature. If there is a difference in Shelley's presentation of the sublime, it is the way that he, as opposed to Wordsworth, presents nature as a force that is utterly indifferent to man and contains the power to destroy as well as the power to inspire. Note, for example, the way that the West Wind is presented in Shelley's famous poem, "Ode to the West Wind":
The sea-blooms and the oozy woods which wearThe sapless foliage of the ocean, knowThy voice, and suddenly grow gray with fear,And tremble and despoil themselves: oh hear!