POEM - Ozymandias

Question 1

Themes of “Ozymandias”

Answer 1

• the impermanence of power
• the inevitable decline of human achievements
• the pride of rulers
• hubris

Question 2

What type of sonnet is “Ozymandias”

Answer 2

Petrarchan sonnet, but it breaks traditional rules by combining elements of the Shakespearean and Petrarchan forms.

Question 3

How does Shelley use the statue in “Ozymandias”?

Answer 3

The statue in the poem symbolizes the fading power of Ozymandias, as it is broken and decaying in the desert, representing the temporary nature of human dominance.

Question 4

What is the significance of the caesura in the last lines of “Ozymandias”?

Answer 4

The caesura (the pause) in the last lines emphasizes the emptiness and decay of the once-grand civilization, highlighting the theme of nothingness after time passes.

Question 5

What does the phrase “Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” reveal about Ozymandias?

Answer 5

The phrase shows Ozymandias’ arrogance and belief in his own power, but it is ironically juxtaposed with the ruin around him, suggesting that time erodes all human accomplishments.