Ozymandias Flashcards
What is the poem about?
It’s about a statue in the middle of a desert of a king who ruled a past civilisation. The statue is described by a traveller to the narrator, who says that the statue is now fallen and crumbled away
What are the three important feelings and attitudes in the poem?
Pride, Arrogance, Power
What does the poem tell about pride?
the ruler was proud of what he had achieved, and wanted others to admire what he did
what does the poem tell about arrogance?
the inscription shows that the ruler believed that he was the most powerful in the land, and nobody could compete against him
what does the poem tell about power?
humans are insignificant compared to the passing of time, whilst Art can preserve elements of human existence it is only temporary
What are the themes in the poem?
Power of Human, Power of Nature, Negative emotions- pride
What are three key quotes in this poem?
‘the decay Of that colossal wreck’
‘survive…..lifeless’
‘Stand in the desert’
what does the quote ‘the decay Of that colossal wreck’ reveal about the poem?
that the ruined statute shows how human achievements are insignificant compared to the the passing of time
What does the quote ‘survive…..lifeless’ suggest?
how art can outlast human power but the ruined statue shows that art can’t immortalise power forever
what does the quote ‘Stand in the desert’ suggest?
the setting suggests an absence of life and vitality
Who was Ozymandias?
An ancient greek ruler who boasted about his greatness a lot
Who wrote this poem?
Percy Shelley
What did Shelley dislike?
Monarchies, absolute power and the oppression of normal people
