The Legacy of Shelley’s Vegetarianism: From Henry Stephens Salt to Gandhi

Abstract

This essay sets out to explore P.B. Shelley’s adherence to a natural diet, given its ethical foundations, and the influence (both direct and mediated) that his thought exercised on Mohandas Gandhi in his adoption of vegetarianism and his belief in non-violent resistance. Central to this investigation is the role played by Henry Stephens Salt, a Victorian social reformer, a member of the Vegetarian Society, and a Shelley scholar who devoted strenuous efforts to popularising the poet’s works and pioneering ideas.