Based on the stanza given, identify the poem.

Stanza:
"An old, mad, blind, despised, and dying King;
Princes, the dregs of their dull race, who flow
Through public scorn,—mud from a muddy spring;
Rulers who neither see nor feel nor know."

Correct option is A

Explanation:
The given stanza is from Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem England in 1819. This poem is a powerful political sonnet in which Shelley criticizes the British monarchy and government, portraying them as corrupt, out of touch, and oppressive. The lines refer to King George III, who was mentally unstable and nearing death, while his successors are described as useless and disconnected from the suffering of the people.

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Information Booster:
Themes: Political oppression, monarchy’s decay, social unrest, and hope for revolution.
The poem was written in response to political turmoil in England, particularly after the Peterloo Massacre (1819), where peaceful protesters demanding parliamentary reforms were violently suppressed. Shelley condemns the ruling class for their failure to address the suffering of the people.
A Petrarchan sonnet with unconventional use of harsh imagery and political critique.

"England in 1819" reflects both political rage and optimism. The sonnet, which was initially delivered as an untitled addition to a private letter, expresses Shelley's outrage at the problems facing his own nation during one of the most turbulent periods in its history. The poem starts off by criticizing England's institutions and leaders, calling the monarchy a shameful leech that is depleting the nation's vitality. The speaker goes on to say that the aristocracy is completely out of touch and that a government that is driven by greed and stifles the freedom of those it is supposed to protect is still violently oppressing starving citizens. Religion, on the other hand, provides no solace because the Church has turned corrupt and "Christless." In its last couplet, the poem suddenly switches to a vision of national redemption: all of these institutions are dead, the speaker argues, but England will one day soar like a mythical bird from their ashes.

Additional Knowledge:
When I Have Fears (John Keats)
This is a romantic sonnet about the poet’s fear of dying before achieving his creative potential. 
The Cloud (Percy Bysshe Shelley)
This is a nature poem where Shelley personifies a cloud, describing its movement and role in the natural cycle.
To a Skylark (Percy Bysshe Shelley)
This poem is an ode to a skylark, praising its joyous and free-spirited song, contrasting human suffering.