The Ocean (symbol)
Throughout the poem, Shelley describes the sea before him. The water is deep and clear, while the waves dance and flash like lightning as they hit the shore. The ocean acts as a symbol of deep, turbulent emotion as the speaker identifies with the "tune" of its movement. Like the vast body of water, the speaker's dejection feels immeasurable and incomprehensible.
Light (motif)
Likewise, light plays a significant role in the poem, juxtaposing the speaker's interior state. The poem's first line mentions the warm, Mediterranean sun, while the waves hit the shore like "light dissolved in star-showers." However, the speaker's feelings remain untouched by the bright world around him: the light, no matter how strong it may be in the poem's high noon, can't fully illuminate the depth of the speaker's darkness.
