Ozymandias Flashcards
Who wrote it?
Percy Bysshe Shelley
When was it written?
1817
Why did he write it?
He heard about how an Italian explorer had retrieved the statue from the desert
What was the name for the group of poets Shelley was known as?
The Romantics
When was the poem published?
In a newspaper in 1818
What affect did romanticism have?
It had a big influence on art and literature in the late 1700s and early 1800s
What did romantic poets believe in?
They believed in emotion rather than reason, and tried to capture intense experiences in their work and particularly focused on the power of nature
What did Shelley dislike?
Monarchies, absolute power and the oppression of ordinary people
What were Shelley’s radical political views inspired by?
The French Revolution, where the monarchy was overthrown
Who was Ozymandias?
Another name for Ramesses II, a ruler of Ancient Egypt
What are Shelley’s attitudes?
Making a statement about politics in his day - power won’t last forever and even the mightiest will fall. Also the power of art and words - only thing that lasted was the powerful inscription
Recite your introduction sentence
Ozymandias, published in a newspaper in 1818 and written by Percy Bysshe Shelley, is based on a statue an Italian explorer Shelley heard about ha retrieved from the desert; this statue was Ramesses II, and ancient Egyptian ruler. The voice of the poem is mainly from the traveller’s perspective.
Recite your conclusion sentence
Shelley was known as one of the ‘Romantics’, a movement that had a big influence on art and literature in 1700-1800, and he detested: monarchies, absolute power and the oppression of ordinary people. These views were inspired by the French Revolution, and in his poem he tries to make a statement about politics in his day - about how power won’t last forever - by using the downfall of a ruler.
List all the techniques used
FORM:
Sonnet with Volta at line 9
Iambic pentameter
3rd person narrative
STRUCTURE: Enjambment Shift in focus FLI LLI - stressed syllable Volta
LANGUAGE: Alliteration Imagery Personification Irony Adjectives Dialect
List all the techniques used
FORM:
Sonnet with Volta at line 9
Iambic pentameter
3rd person narrative
STRUCTURE: Enjambment Shift in focus FLI LLI - stressed syllable Volta
LANGUAGE: Alliteration Imagery Personification Irony Adjectives Dialect
