Ozymandias (Percy Bysshe Shelley) Flashcards
Why was Shelley a romantic?
At school, he studied and connected with the works of William Godwin, who believed in freedom and equality for all, including in the freedom from religion and believing in God. He believed that our imagination is our most powerful tool.
What are the key themes of the poem?
The poem conveys imagery of man’s futility: how, when compared to nature, human power is merely temporary and does not last against the passage of time. “Great art endures while power of ruler decays.”
What techniques does Shelley use to convey this message?
He uses irony in the way that “nothing beside remains” the statue, despite the pedestal claiming otherwise. The unique and inconsistent structure of the poem reflects the decay of the statue, which could be a metaphor for human power as whole.
What is the importance of the statue’s remains?
It serves as a reminder to onlookers of the arrogance of the tyrant ruler. It is a powerful metaphor, exploring the insignificance of human beings, that our existence is fleeting. However, it also symbolises art’s ability to capture and illustrate emotions, thoughts and feelings
How is the poem structured?
The poem is a sonnet yet it does not fit into the Shakespearean sonnet nor the Petrarchan sonnet. Instead, the first 4 lines have an alternate rhyme scheme (a-b-a-b) followed by non-rhyming lines, giving a sense of incompletion, which may have been deliberate.
