Ozymandias Quotes Flashcards
Of that…
“Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare”
Method: Juxtaposition, Alliteration
Analysis: Shelley juxtaposes grandeur with ruin, illustrating the decline of Ozymandias’s statue amidst a vast, empty landscape. This imagery emphasizes the futility of human pride and the inevitability of decay, reinforcing the poem’s message that all achievements ultimately succumb to time.
Nothing…
“Nothing beside remains.”
Method: Irony, Imagery
Analysis: emphasize the total loss of Ozymandias’s once-mighty empire, contrasting it with his earlier boasts of greatness. This stark imagery highlights the theme of the impermanence of human achievements, illustrating how time ultimately erases all traces of power.
And wrinkled…
“And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command”
Method: Visual Imagery
Analysis: the contrast between Ozymandias’s former power and his current state of decay, emphasizing the theme that even the mightiest rulers are ultimately subject to time and oblivion. The “cold command” suggests a tyrannical rule, reinforcing the idea that his authority was marked by oppression, which has now crumbled into insignificance.
Half sunk…
“Half sunk, a shattered visage lies”
Method: Imagery
Analysis: symbolizing the decay of his once-great power. The phrase highlights the inevitability of decline and serves as a powerful reminder that even the mightiest leaders ultimately face oblivion.
The lone..
“The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
Method: Sibilance, Imagery
Analysis: evokes a sense of desolation and emptiness, emphasizing the vastness of time and the insignificance of human endeavors. It serves as a stark reminder that, despite grand ambitions, nature ultimately prevails, leaving behind a void where greatness once existed.
My name…
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:”
Method: Allusion
Analysis: The phrase reflects Ozymandias’s hubris, as he elevates himself above all other rulers, claiming unmatched greatness. However, the irony lies in the fact that his empire has crumbled, emphasizing the transience of power and the futility of human pride.
