Ozymandias Flashcards
Ozymandias
Ramses III called himself Ozymandias which means to breathe power which highlights how he believes he was born to rule over everyone – he is inherently arrogant.
I met a traveller from an antique land (power of nature)
- The fact that it is a second-hand recollection of a story shows how the mighty pharaoh has been reduced to the most distant story as heartless ruler and shows it’s insignificance. The narrative framing also creates a sense of distance in time and place, giving an almost mythical quality
- Reinforced through the adjective “antique” which reflects on Ozymandias power, as it is old and forgotten. this also shows how vague and distant the land is making it clear that Ozymandias’ achievements belong to the past
“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone” (power of nature/humans)
- “trunkless” = adjective = alludes to the theme of decay which runs throughout the poem which supports the idea of the once-powerful ruler being now powerless - nothing can stop the power of nature
- the combination of the adjectives “vast and trunkless” showcases the large size of the statue whiles also emphasizing how incomplete it is. this could be interpreted as Ozymandias’ power decreasing over time.
Near them, on the sand, Half sunk a shattered visage lies, (power of nature)
- the sand could represent how power has slipped through his fingers and how things, no matter how great, decay over time – it is a symbol of time
- ‘sunk’ shows that the statue has depleted and is now being buried and consumed by the sand. This could convey that the desert has now metaphorically become his grave and is wiping out all traces of his existence as punishment for his arrogance and vanity.
“Shatter’d visage” presents a loss of identity. He tried to immortalise himself by building himself out of stone, but nature will always be more powerful. The only remaining memory of him has been ‘shattered’ and it is no longer clear who he is, what he did, etc. Thus shows how even the most powerful people can’t control the damaging the effects of time and nature. Also shows the complete destroyal of what he had to begin with and broken dreams.
Sneer of cold command (pride, power of humans)
- alliteration
- contrasted with warm climate
- cold and command
- the verb ‘sneer’ has unpleasant connotations which therefore portrays him as a cruel leader suggesting that he abused his power and was contemptuous towards his subjects
- Alliteration. the hard “c” sounds Communicates he was cold and blunt as well as arrogant
- The fact that he is contrasted with the warm climate of the desert with his “cold command” suggests that he didn’t belong there with all his cruelty and power
- both “cold” and “command” gives a representation of power: “cold” implies his dismissive, cruel and uncaring nature whiles “command” implies how condescending and conceited he is and creates a sense of overbearing power
“My name is Ozymandias, kings of kings” (pride, power of humans)
- The term ‘King of Kings’ has a rhythmic, Old Testament biblical resonance; the Pharaoh is setting himself up as a god.
- Egyptian rulers typically believed that they were descendants of Gods so the fact the Ozymandias actually believes that he is a God emphasises not only how supreme he believes he is but also warns the readers that even the most powerful people are victims of the relentless passage of time
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” (pride, power of humans)
“Look” : imperative and stressed syllable – heightens the tone of command
“ye mighty” - arrogant and challenged other rulers
“and despair” – patronizing as he sees everyone as worthless compared to him
Ironically. During his lifetime Ozymandias was a feared and respected leader. Now he is a faint memory, a broken statue in the desert. As a Romantic poet, Shelley emphasized the incredible power of nature and the frailty of mankind. Here he suggests that the mighty ought to despair at how utterly forgotten Ozymandias has become. The desert–nature incarnate–has swallowed the vain pride of a once great man, and the same fate awaits the powerful of today.
Nothing beside remains ( power of nature over humans)
- caesura employed here highlights the sentence which strengthens the contrast between Ozymandias’ words and reality. this strong juxtaposition creates a strong anti-climax which also mimics the fall of Ozymandias’ powers
- the isolation of this sentence mirrors the isolation of the statue - there is nothing to look upon
- the irony of this sentence evokes a sense of humour which suggests how the power of Ozymandias is so diminished that he is no longer taken as seriously or is no longer feared like he was before, during his reign.
- By starting off with the word “nothing”, Shelley highlights the futility of Ozymandias’ reign – he did not get anything out of it
Round the decay of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare, (power of nature over humans)
- the oxymoron “colossal wreck” accentuates the destruction of the statue which could be interpreted as a metaphor the how human power is easily stripped away and is powerless against the passing of time
- the plosive alliteration of “boundless and bare” highlights the barrenness of the desert and contributes to the tone of futility
the lone and level sands stretch far away (power of nature over humans)
- Desert is vast and outlives the statue proving nature is more powerful than any human ever will be and shows the insignificance of both the statue and Ozymandias
- “lone and level” = alliteration = reinforces the ongoing nature of the sand and, therefore, the enduring power of nature itself.
• Seeing that the sand is “level” implies the monotonous and featureless nature of the sand: there is no sign of his legacy which starkly contrasts with “look on my works”. this is the idea is reinforced by the fact that the statue is in a “far away” land where it stands so insignificant and unrecognized that only travellers know it exists. Ozymandias efforts to extend his power has tragically failed.
Form
The poem, then, invokes two of the most prominent types of sonnet—Shakespearean and Petrarchan—but then breaks both types by refusing to follow the full conventions of either one. This “breaking” of the poetic conventions that it references can be read as an echo of the broken work of art—the statue—that “Ozymandias” describes.
The Sonnet form could also represent Ozymandias egotistical love for himself
Mostly in 2nd person which demonstrates the insignificance of the stature
Structure
The juxtaposition between the simple sentence of “nothing besides him remains” and the preceding long and complex sentence “look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair”, emphasizes Shelley’s message of the poem: power doesn’t last forever. The long and complex sentence could represent how extravagant and imperious the pharaoh was, however, the abrupt nature of “nothing besides him remain” creates a sense of irony as no matter how powerful Ozymandias was, nature has prevailed and stripped him from all the powers he retained.
The use of enjambment supports the vastness of the desert and the passage of time. (last two lines)
