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english lit > ozymandias > Flashcards

ozymandias Flashcards

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1
Q

context of ozymandias

A
  • it is thought that shelly, a radical romantic poet who often criticized society in his works, was making implicit links between ramesis powerful but violent reign with that of george 3rd. george 3rd reigned during the time the poem was written, and was genuinely disliked.
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2
Q

what type of poem is ozymandias (1)

A

ozymandias is a sonnet

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3
Q

describe the style of poetry type of ozymandias + the effect is creates

A

-BLENDS PETRARCHAN + SHAKESPEAREAN SONNETS
does this in order to demonstrate that all power, even the power of literary conventions, is transient to change + subject to evolution

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4
Q

explain how ozymandias includes the two sonnet forms

A

PETRACHAN
- volta (turning point) in line 9
- trad 14 line structure
SHAKESPEAREAN
- irregular rhyme scheme + iambic pentameter

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5
Q

structure of ozymandias

A
  • irregular rhyme scheme contrasts with single stanza ( suggesting order) but the rhyme scheme suggests a lack of power and control of the ruler
  • reflecting that human power and structures can be destroyed (in this case by nature)
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6
Q

rhyme scheme of ozymandias

A

-IREEGULAR RHYME SCHEME BREAKS AWAYA FROM SINGLE STANZA + SONNET FORM
- enables shelly to imply how poetry + lit can defy tradition +give way to new power, directly demonstrating that conventions can be changed
- this fit the literary characteristic of Romantic poets who focused their work on defying old ideas -> encourages belief that contention should never be accepted without challenge (could link to french revolution)

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7
Q

account of story of ozymandias

A
  • STORY IS TOLD FROM SECOND HAND ACCOUNT
    this distances reader even further from dead kind
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8
Q

sonnet topic + ozymandias

A
  • SONNETS ARE TRADITIONALLY POEMS ABOUT LOVE
    shelly selecting to make the statue the focus of the poem CBA that he’s making it an object of love + respect
    this could be trying to disguise political messages about power, while still focusing on the power of nature
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9
Q

narrative voice of ozymandias

A

-POEM IS WRITTEN FROM FIRST PERSON BUT SPEAKER IS OMNISCIENT
pronoun “i” only used once @ beginning -> shows how little perspective actually matters
-> intentionally trying to disconnect speaker from shelly as he was attempting to impart a political message through his work
-> removing a blame that society may pin on him by disguising this as a story from a fictional character in the desert

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10
Q

what could the character of ozymandias represent

A
  • SHELLY USES OZYMANDIAS AS AN ALLEGORY FOR KING GEORGE 3
  • taking a slight risk
    BUT the detachment of perspective means that shelly isfree to comment on monarchy/religion as he wishes ( as its from pov of char)
  • ALSO having poem communicated by reported speech serves to trivialise the reign of ozymandias
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11
Q

main messages of ozymandias

A

-WARNING TO ALL INSTITUTIONS OF POWER THAT THEY WON’T LAST - BUT THEIR TREATMENTS OF OTHERS / ACTIONS WILL
- HUMAN POWER IS TRANSITORY BUT ART WILL SURVIVE
- HUMAN POWER IS TRANSIENT COMPARED TO NATURE/TIME
-> EVERYTHING COMES FROOM EARTH AND EVERYTHING WILL RETURN TO IT
- POWER IS EPHEMERAL

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12
Q

how is ozymandias ironic

A

shelly plays with the literal + metaphorical to create an overwhelming sense of irony surrounding the fall of the kings influence

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13
Q

how is the insigifigance and transcience of human power a key message in ozymandias

A

because it was this power that he wanted to reform + reassign in order to better structure a corrupt industrializing society

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14
Q

in ozymandias, what metaphor is used to associate with time

A

sand

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15
Q

how is sand associated with time

A

shelly uses sand to show how time can erase the power of man
sand has covered ozymandias’ statue and figurative “sands of time” have covered his memory
- regardless of how powerful man becomes, nature will always prevail

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16
Q

what era of poetry was shelly

A

romantisicm

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17
Q

what did romantic poets believe and focus on

A

romantic poets believed in emotion rather than reason - particularly focused on the power of nature

18
Q

give me 3 signifigant things about shellys life

A
  • radical poet
  • anti religion + anti monarchy
  • expelled from oxford university for his views on atheism
19
Q

what does ozymandias reflect?

A

shelly sculpted his poem to reflect the oppression of powerful leaders + the transience of mankind’ power

20
Q

who is ozymandias

A

another name for ramesis 2

21
Q

how does ozymandias have a mocking tone?

A

ozymandias mocks rulers past, present + future for thinking that they will be different

22
Q

how does ozymandias fit in with romantic era

A
  • rejecting institutions of power
  • poetry used to spread messages about people + ideas
23
Q

how does ozymandias draw parallels between real life people

A

ozymandias = ramesis 2 -> who was remembered for his tyranny + militaty exploits and large empire
king george 3 -> also remembered for opression + tyranny

24
Q

what system is shelly critisising in ozymandias

A

systems in which individuals are given so much power that despite their abuse of it, the population are unable to remove them because there is no alternative

25
Q

what views does ozymandias tie in with

A

shell’s anti- religion + anti-monarchy views as he’s critisising all power being centered on a person who derives their importance from an image - “a visage” and percieved divine right to power

26
Q

how is ozymandias pride reflected (1)

A

he thinks he has pride that gives him a sense of entitlement to power “king of kings”

27
Q

summarise how power is presented in ozymandias (no quotes)

A

shelly conveys the theme of human power, power of nature + pride through the contrast betweenn ozymandias’ boasts + the desolate crumbing statue in the vast desert
- encourages reflection of consequences of excessive pride

28
Q

what is the warning to readers of ozymandias

A

serves as a cautionary tale about the impertenance of human achievements in the face of the timeless forces of nature

29
Q

main themes of ozymandias

A

power of humans, power of nature, pride

30
Q

summarise how power of nature is presented in ozymandias ( no quotes)

A

shelly employs literary techniques to convey the theme of power of nature through
- vivid immagery
- enjambent
- sound devices
-> paints a picture of natures unyeilding force + its ability to obliterate even the most grandiose of human achievements

31
Q

what is ozymandias reminding us about nature

A

serves as powerful reminder of the transient nature of human power + enduring might of the natural world

32
Q

quote 1 for power of nature in ozymandias

A

“ROUND THE DECAY / OF THAT COLOSSAL WRECK, BOUNDLESS + BARE”
- reflects power of nature [ relentless force of time + decay ]
- “collossal wreck” is the ruined state of ozymandias which has succumbed to natures power

ENJAMBMENT -> creating a sense of continuity, emphasising the unending nature of sands + decay
JUXTAPOSITION -> of “colossal” + “wreck” creates a stark contrast, highlighting the stark reality of the statues ruin -> “boundless + bare” appeals to the readers sense of sight, evoking a vast + empty landscape
VIVID IMMAGERY -> underscores the insigifigance of human endeavours in the face of natures power

33
Q

quote 2 for power of nature in ozymandias

A

“the lone and level sands stretch far away”
- further emphasises dominance of nature
“lone” evokes a sense of isolation + abandonment
while “level” suggests the unbroken, unyielding expanse of desert sands

ALLITERATION “S” adds to sense of unending and continuous expanse
stretch = visual sense of endless flat terrain
auditory imagery of vastness and desolation

34
Q

quote 3 for power of nature of ozymandias

A

“nothing beside remains”
- nature has wiped everything out and is the superior power
- human power is ephemeral, nature will always win
- ironic as he was “king of kings” but now theres nothing

35
Q

quote 1 for pride/power of nature in ozymandias

A

“My name is ozymandias, king of kings”
- establishing himself as a symbol of human power and authority
- proclaims himself as “king of kings” suggesting his belief in the dominance of his rule over others + desire for enduring power
his pride and arrogance led to his own perception of himself as “king of kings” - critiqing leaders + their idea of themself
-> suggesting he views himself as omnipoptent

36
Q

quote 2 for pride/power in ozymandias

A

“Look on my works, ye Mighty and despair!”
imperitave : reflecting upon his tendancy to be a commanding ruler
- reflects his human ambition for power and recognition
- IRONY lies in the fact that his works were merely ephemeral
-> as theres nothing left to admire but ruins
highlighting the transitory nature of human achievements

37
Q

quote 3 for pride/power in ozymandias

A

“the lone sands that stretch far away”
- concluding lines of poem, emphasizing the contrast between ozymandias’ once great empire + desolation of surrounding desert.
“sands” represent vast + timeless power of nature, dwarfing the achievements of humanity
this contrast underscores the poem’s theme of the insignifigance of human power in the face of nature’s immensity

38
Q

quote 4 for pride/ power in ozymandias

A

“the hand that mocked them and the heart that fed”
referring to sculptors skill + creativity symbolizing the power of human artistic expression “mocked” = mimic/craft “fed” = inspired/gave life to
-> highlights enduring influence of human artistry ie outlived kings legacy

38
Q

summarise ozymandias

A
  • narrator meets traveler who tells him about a statue standing in middle of desert
  • statue is of a king who ruled over a past civilisation who was a tyrant
  • statue crumbles due to nature
39
Q

what poems can ozymandias be compared to for power of humans

A
  • london
  • my last duchess
  • storm on the island
  • tissue
  • checking out me history
40
Q

what poems can ozymandias be comared to for power of nature

A
  • extract from the prelude
  • exposure
  • storm on the island
  • tissue
  • kamikaze
41
Q

what poems can ozymandias be compared to for the theme of pride

A
  • extract from prelude + my last duchess

english lit (3 decks)

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