Ozymandias Flashcards
Who wrote Ozymandias?
Percy Shelley
Was Shelley religious?
No, he was an athiest
Percy is a romantic poet-what does this mean?
- A dislike of the urban world
- A love of the supernatural
- An embrace of the natural world
Who was the king whilst Ozymandias was written?
King George the 3rd.
Who was Ramesses the 2nd?
- An Egyptian pharaoh who ruled in the 1200s
- Performed lots of military attacks to claim land
When was Ozymandias published?
1818
Who could it be argued Ramesses the 2nd resembles?
King George the 3rd
What is the major theme in Ozymandias?
Those with power are deluded with their belief that their powerful is supreme and everlasting.
What form is Ozymandias?
A sonnet
Why did Shelley choose to write Ozymandias in a sonnet form? (1)
-If sonnets are about love, it could suggest that like Ozymandias, King George the 3rd and those in power, they are all in love with themselves
Why did Shelley choose to write Ozymandias in a sonnet form? (2)
-Ozymandias is a mixture of the Petrachen sonnet and the Shakespearean sonnet, reflecting how just as the sonnet has been adapted, power will also change. Shelley is using form to show how all power gives power to another.
What does “I met a traveller” suggest?
That Shelley is distancing himself from the story, suggesting he is afraid of those in power.
What does the alliteration of “cold command” suggest?
The hard ‘c’ sound reflects the harsh nature of Ozymandias.
What does the alliteration “boundless and bare” emphasize?
The emptiness around Ozymandias.
What are the alternate interpretations of the verb “mocked” in Ozymandias?
-Could suggest that the artist was mocking Ozymandias, setting the artist above the pharaoh as he did not notice it, perhaps suggesting that nature and art are above art.
