Ozymandias Flashcards
“I met a traveller”
Shelly detaches hinself from the story as this is just a story he’s being told and he’s clearly saying that this isn’t an attack on the British monarchy and their abuse of power.
However,it clearly is a thinly veiled attack.
Shelley shows he hasn’t even seen the statue himself which shows how unimportant Ozymandias is.
“Of that colossal wreck”
The ruined statue shows how human achievements are insignificant compared to the passing time and nature.
“Look on my works,ye Mighty,and despair!Nothing beside remains.”
Irony-He tells others to despair at his great works,however in the end he is the one despairing as his works are destroyed by time.
Time also undermines him.
He sounds crazed by power.
“Hand that mock’d them”
“Mock” means to ridicule something.The sculptor maybe mocking Ozymandias or the other way round.
This is more literal view which is the sculptor is making the statue since “mock” also means to create something.
“Sands stretch far away”
Sibilance shows the feeling of empty space in the dessert.
The dessert’s a piece of nature and is vast and strong and lives far longer than the insignificant statue.
Tells us 2 things:power is transient and nature and time are far more important than human power.
Context:Strong view that nature is strong because Shelley’s a romantic poet.Romantics also dislike monarchies and absolute power.
“Sneer of cold command”
Possibly shows the arrogance and anger of Ozymandias.
Shows that Rameses 2 has lost all control of his reputation through the power of time.
“Boundless and bare”
Shows the unlimited power of nature,and how with just a few years all of someone legacy can be destroyed.
