Ozymandias Flashcards
what is Ozymandias about?
narrator meets traveller who tells him about a statue of a king who ruled over the past civilisation in the middle of the desert. the statue has fallen down all that’s left is ruins
“I met a traveller from an antique land”
Shelly distances himself from the statue by hearing it second hand rather than by himself.
‘Antique land’ - long forgotten
“wrinkled lip”
power of Ozymandias was already fading even though the statue was made during his peak rule, he was already losing power and beginning to slip away
“Sneer of cold command”
‘sneer’ - rulers have no contempt or sympathy, no interest to help ordinary citizens
alliteration of hard ‘c’ sound shows how emotionless the reader is
“The hand that mock’d them and the heart that fed;”
the sculptor outlived Ozymandias’s power
‘mocked’ the sculptor replicated so well that he is able to bring out Ozymandias’ true qualities to the people
“Look on my Works, ye mighty and despair!”
words of Ozymandias who hoped that when people see his statue around the amazing city that he built they would be awe of his power but ironically is shows nothing is left of his power and that human power doesn’t last.
“Of that colossal wreck”
the ruined statue shows how human achievements are insignificant compared to the passing of time
oxymoron is used to emphasise that his work did not last and show the scale of destruction.
nothing is left and even if it in a million pieces and a symbol of the consequences of power not his success
what are the themes of ozymandias?
power of humans, power of nature and pride
human power in Ozymandias?
Ozymandias is presented as a ruler who has abused his power - he’s described as having a “sneer of cold command” and as arrogantly telling other rulers to look at his work and “despair”
natures power in Ozymandias?
nature will always conquer man and be in control wether in natural disasters or death. the desert destroyed the statue, shows his achievements are unsignificant compared to the “boundless” desert
pride in Ozymandias?
the words on the pedestal of the statue show that Ozymandias was a proud arrogant ruler. he calls himself “king of kings” and commands other rulers to “look” at his work and “despair” - suggests that he thought everyone else was inferior to him, and that he treated his subject badly.
what is the form of Ozymandias?
a sonnet, with a turning point (volva) but doesn’t follow the regular sonnet rhyming scheme, reflecting the way that human power and structures can be destroyed
