Ozymandias Flashcards
what themes are present
power of humans, power of nature, negative emotions-pride
who wrote Ozymandias
Percy Bysshe Shelley
what is the poem about
a narrator who meets a traveller who tells him about a statue in the middle of a desert, statue of a King from a previous civilisation, his face is proud and the inscription is arrogant, the statue has fallen into ruins
context of Shelley
Romantic poet- big literature influence in late 1700s and early 1800s, they believe in emotion rather than reason and tried to capture intense experiences
Shelly disliked monarchies, his radical views were inspired by the French revolution where the monarchy was overthrown
form
Petrarchan sonnet
volta at line 9
irregular rhyme scheme showing human/power deterioration
iambic pentameter which is also disrupted
the second-hand account which further distances the reader from the dead king
structure
shifts in focus and zoom focusing on different parts
end by describing the enormous desert to sum up the statue’s insignificance
irony
nothing left to show for the ruler’s arrogant boasting
symbol for temporary nature of political power or human achievement
reflects Shelley’s hatred of oppression and his belief it is possible to overturn the societal and political order
language of power
nature has more power as it has ruined the statue
what is shown through angry language
the tyranny of the ruler
key quote start of the poem
“I met a traveller from an antique land”
frames story to show the insignificance
key quote from the end of the poem
“the lone and level sands stretch far away”
alliteration
“level” democracy is the future
quote to display irony
“two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand in the desert”
lack of torso, lack of heart and emotion
tyranny of the leader
“sneer of cold command… hand that mock’d them”
he is actually getting mocked as his statue isn’t even standing
superlatives showing hubris
“king of kings”
feelings and attitudes explored
pride, arrogance, power
