Ozymandias Flashcards
“I met a traveller from an antique land”
the pronoun I shows personal connection
“antique” suggests age and value, story fr4om long time ago
Shelley frames the poem as a story to make it clear that the narrator hasn’t even seen the statue himself. This emphasises how unimportant Ozymandias is now.
“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone”
trunkless is a metaphor that shows the end of Ozymandias’ kingship
it emphasizes the size and stature but also shows that it is incomplete
contrast between statue and “trunkless legs” to show the ironic juxtaposition between power and ruin
stand in the desert
setting gives a sense of isolation, it suggests an absence of life and vitality
cold command
alliterations of c and d are severe and austere give the idea of tyrannical leadership of Ozymandias.
power leads to arrogance
“shatter’d visage”
Ironic - even a powerful human can’t control the damaging effects of time.
it’s also a symbol for his broken leadership
power is temporary
“king of kings”
Arrogant and powerful - he even challenged other rulers. he is comparing himself to others leaders, he feels superior
power leads to arrogance
“decay” “colossal wreck” “nothing”
nature and time kills everything
semantic field of ruin shows how he statue hasn’t been look after from the people and it evokes the idea that nature kills everything
power of nature and temporary
Colossal wreck
Juxtaposition. ruined statue shows how human achievements are insignificant compared to the passing of time
power is temporary
what is shelley warnisg us about
to not be like Ozymandias, looking for power
Ozymandias is a symbol for
George III
tone
begins informally but then becomes more forceful, critical as it develops
how is power physical and political
political with cold command to describe his leadership
physical shown by the statue
both temporary
rhyme scheme
unusual, ABAB CDC, difficult to remember
form
sonnet without a good format because he doesn’t respect the king.
there is no conclusion highlights hatred towards the king
