Ozymandias Flashcards
‘antique land’
Legacy is so insignificant it is known only by travellers - Egypt is seen as an antique land
‘desert’
Desert suggests a lifelessness and lack of culture
‘shatter’d visage’
The image of a shattered visage creates a sense of irony: a King who believed so strongly in his own power and superiority, and who tried so hard to present this image of greatness through his statue, has now been forgotten and destroyed by time other than the visage that has been invented to show he was unforgettable
‘wrinkled lip’
A wrinkled lip conjures the image of someone grimacing in disgust and contempt, thus displaying the king8s disregard for his subjects, viewing them as inferior and below him. This antipathy is then paired with immense power which enables him to exploit and torture the people he rules with no empathy or remorse. Shelley can use this to show the danger of a single individual having unlimited power invested in them as it enables them to see all other people as inferior and thus derive an ability to oppress them
‘sneer’
Contemptuous/mocking smile, remark or tone which connotes malicious cruelty and heartless. It’s like he is mocking his subjects, and how’s his insolence and contempt for subjects that he views as below him. This presents the Kings arrogance, confidence and sense of superiority
‘cold command’
This is reflective of Shelley’s own anti-violence stance, as he was against all military exploits and thus also against the ‘cold commamds’ that initiate them
‘The hand that mock’s them’
The artists work is mocking the king. Sees glory in a statue that is criticising yet his confidence in his own supremacy means he overlooks any evidence that contradicts their grandeur. ‘Mocked’ can also be interpreted as ‘to make a model of’ as the sculptor has literally made a model of the king - perhaps it was not him negatively- he has a ‘heart that fed’ the king through its intention to please him - buy that simply by modelling Ozymandias, it was inevitable that his cruelty would show due to it being an inextricable part of him
‘pedestal’
Irony of pedestal message: pedestal by idiomatic connotation presents his power as undeserved
‘king of kings’
This claim seems ironic to the reader when they are known via the report of a traveller. Ozymandias’ pride and arrogance led to his perception of himself as the ‘king of kings’ criticises leaders and their ideas of themselves and ability to rule suggests he views himself as omnipotent
‘Look on my work’
The king clearly expects his empire and kingdom to survive, which is dramatic irony
‘Ions and level’
Level - monotonous and featureless - no sign of his legacy. Lone - isolated - statues is all that remains - his cruelty is only remembrance. These are also alliterative
‘sands’
The literal sand has covered over Ozymandias’ staue; the figurative ‘sands of time’ have covered over Ozymandias’ memory
‘far away’
The statue is in a ‘far away’ where it stands so insignificant and unrecognisable that only travellers know it exists. Egypt which Ozymandias had tried so hard to extend and empower. His pursuits are condemned to failure when insignificant of Egypt allows it to be dismissely deemed ‘far away’
