Comparitive Power (hawk And Ozymandias) Flashcards
(O) ‘…Near them, on the sand, half-sunk, a shattered visage lies’
This quote portrays the ephemeral nature of power by presenting Ozymandias’s previous kingdom as isolated and dilapidated due to the erosive force of nature and time.
- ‘on the sand’ —> uses the adjective ‘sand’ as a topographical marker and this creates imagery of isolation and lifelessness since if alludes to the desert which is where the statue is found. This reference indicates that Ozymandias’s power has been overthrown by nature and is now concealed within the ‘sand’ since the memory of his empire is forgotten and is detached from the modern world.
- half-sunk a shattered visage lies’ —> term ‘half-sunk’ indicates that the statue’s existence is half destroyed. This implies that Ozymandias’s memory is dilapidated and is becoming engulfed by nature. In ‘shattered visage lies°-> adjective has connotations of being destroyed and disintegrated. This portrays how Ramesses’s power was fleeting and how his grandeur has now been reduced by the power of nature. This indicates how political resonance and authority is ephemeral.
(H) ‘I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed’
This quote portrays a contrast since power is portrayed as confident, dominant and is in the present.
‘I’-> personal pronoun uses a first person persona showing how the poem is an internal monologue from the Hawk’s perspective. The use of a personal pronoun first and it’s repetition throughout the stanza’s indicate the self-entered nature of the hawk and it’s hubris.
Top’ -> noun ‘top’ is a preposition using height to physically place the hawk above all other life. This metaphorically creates a superiority complex for it and a dominant power dynamic over the pastoral setting. Portrays the way in which tyrants believe in their dominance over nature and the control over the echelons of society.
‘My eyes closed’ -> idea of eyes being closed indicates hawk’s power as it has no fear or threat over being hunted -> apex creature. Use of ‘ also indicates its conviction and confidence within itself.
(O) ‘whose frown and wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command tell that its sculptor well those passions read’
This portrays the disdain and hostility of power
‘frown and wrinkled lip’ -> uses facial expressions to create the impression of arrogance and superiority over others. It portrays him as a contemptuous King whose ‘frown’ is an expression of egotistic displeasure towards his subjects. This shows the the arrogant nature of him as a despot.
‘sneer of cold command’ -> use of the adjective ‘cold’
-> creates imagery of
being emotionally detached or cold-hearted. This along with ‘command’ reinforces his dictatorship as a repressing and controlling tyrant who held no care or passion for his subjects.
•’cold command’ -> the use of ‘c alliteration mimics the sound of velar stops. This creates a harsh sound reinforcing Ozymandias’s cruel nature.
(H) ‘my hooked head and hooked feet, or in sleep reverse perfect kills and eat’.
This portrays the confidence an focus that tyrants have on maintaining and using their power.
‘Feet’ -> use of the human feature for an animal is an example of anthropomorphism which links to context -> Hawk represents autocracy’s such as that of Hitler’s party in Germany.
- ‘Rehearse perfect kills and eat’ -> through subconscious window, portrays Hawk’s obsession with violence. Idea of being ‘perfect indicates its confidence in its ability whilst its engrossed nature over ‘kills and eat can portray the hawk as fixated on Epicurean delights. This can portray it as similar to tyrants in their fixation over power and pain and lack of emotional intelligence.
- ‘Feet’ and ‘eat’ -> uses rhyming couplet which is not used often in the poem. This can indicate the importance of these lines as it highlights the Hawk’s obsession with violence.
(O) ‘stamped on these lifeless things. The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed’
This uses synecdoche to portray the image of power and how authority impacts despots.
•’hand that mocked them’ -> use of synecdoche in ‘hand’ may be a reference not to Ozymandias but instead go his ‘hand’ where the verb ‘mocked’ may imply that the sculptor intended to mock Ozymandias and his power. This can perhaps imply that the representation of him is inauthentic and aims to subtly ridicule his self-centered nature as a despot.
• However, alternative intepretation -> ‘hand’ may also refer to the hand of nature which in this case is the hand of nature mocking Ozymandias’s power which is an illusion in comparison to the longevity of nature which has encompassed and overtaken his kingdom.
•’heart that fed’ -> uses metaphorical diction -> indicates the care and devotion that the sculptor has taken to successfully captivate the tyrannical emotions of Ramesses. However, since it is unclear, ‘heart that fed’ may also imply that Ozymandias’s ego was being fed by his power over his people.
(H) ‘My feet are locked upon the rough bark’
- ‘my feet’ —> ‘my’ —> use of personal pronoun continuously indicates the hawk’s obsession with itself and sense of arrogance.
- ‘feet’ —> anthropomorphism —> uses human features to describe the hawk to link it to its metaphorical symbolism of tyrants such as Hitler and Mussolini in their belief that their power was permanent and unchallenged.
- ‘locked’ —> portrays a sense of immovability and suggests that Hawk is an immovable weapon as it is physically ‘locked’ into a place.
‘Locked’ -> can indicate his stability within his environment and the lack of threat that the Hawk has to face. Portrayed its strong dominance.
(O) ‘on the pedestal the words appear, my name is Ozymandias, king of kings: look on my works ye mighty,’
This quote highlights tyrants beliefs in their superiority and unchallenged power.
•’pedestal -> uses the noun to reflect his elevated status as a dominant king. This can suggest this authoritarian nature during his reign in the Egyptian empire.
However, the physically elevated state of the status which is placed on a
‘pedestal’ can indicate the self-Centred nature of Ozymandias’s since he considered himself in high regards, as a result, he would have ordered to have the status built to indicate his over-arching power over others.
- ‘my name’ —> Similar to Hawk roosting, uses personal pronouns to indicate a strong sense of identity and pride.
•’king of kings’ -> creates a sense of omniscience and superiority reinforcing
Ozymandias’s excessive hubris and arrogance in himself compared to others.
•’king of kings’ -> create biblical connotations referring to Jesus Christ often in the bible. In this case, it is used by Ramesses to indicate his hubris since he defies himself as a god. This alludes to his pride and emphasises his belief in his own political grandeur and dictatorship.
•’look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’ -> ‘look’ in this -> functions as an imperative -> reinforces his commanding nature and authority. Also, in ‘look’ it indicates his pride within himself and conceit towards his achievements as a ruler. This creates political and social hubris in his successes.
‘Too the whole of creation to produce my foot, my each feather: now I hold creation in my foot’
Similarly, this portrays the illusion of power and self-centred nature of the hawk.
- Whole of creation’ -> hyperbolic language centralises the Hawk portraying it as the pinnacle of all life. This links to the theory of creationism and presents it at the centre indicating a conceited nature.
- ‘Hold creation in my foot’ -> verb ‘hold’ connotes to a grasp over creation showing the Hawk’s dominance over natural forces as well as its environment. ‘Foot’ is physically low on the body and can create another power dynamic as the Hawk’s foot holds ‘creation’ where ‘creation’ would be below most of the Hawk’s body’.
- ‘Creation in my foot’ -> in biblical texts, ‘creation is held’ within God’s hands. In this, the hawk deifies itself as Godly portraying its tyrannical and overly-confident nature.
‘Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of that colossal wreck’
This quote indicates the true ephemeral nature of power since ozymandias’s grandeur has faded and subsided as time elapsed.
‘Nothing besides remains’ -> ‘nothing’ -> uses this term to portray a lack of evidence of his empire. This creates a negative diction to indicate how Ramasses power was fleeting and how his power has subsided as time has elapsed. Also, in the use of’. -> creates caesura indicating a sense of finality in his reign and reinforcing the idea that it has ended.
-‘decay of that colossal wreck’ -> ‘decay’ -> uses the adjective to portray the erosive force of time and the collapse of Ozymandias’s empire. Similar to the way that his status is impermanent and has experienced ‘decay’, it mirrors the way that his empire and memory has become eroded and destroyed over time. Also, in ‘colossal’ to describe the ‘wreck’ -> one final reminder of the once majestic and vast glory of his memory, however, ‘wreck’, reinforces how the status has become fragmented and no longer has an identity similar to how Ozymandias no longer has a memorable identity. This reiterates his ephemeral existence.
(H) ‘My eye has permitted no change. I am going to keep things like this’
This indicates a different in the poems, since hawk roosting indicates the belief that tyrants have in their power, whereas Ozymandias indicates the truth of how power changes over time.
- “My -> possessive pronoun indicates its arrogance when using the noun ‘eye’ where
‘eye’ portrays a sense of vigilance and implies that the Hawk is all-powerful with control and vigilance over all activity.
‘Permitted’ -> verb connotes to the idea of allowing or authorising, as a result, in the context it suggests that the Hawk has the power to allow activity and without it society and nature is not allowed to function. Shows Hawk’s dominance and power within nature.
‘Going -> term indicates Hawk’s belief in permanence in its power instead of the idea of temporary control. Self-confidence in itself and its ability to dominate over nature for the foreseeable future. Links to dictators in their belief that their power will remain unchanged and constant without any threat.
