Ozymandias

• Who is the author of the poem "Ozymandias"?

  Percy Bysshe Shelley
• What is the main theme of "Ozymandias"?

  The failure of absolute power
• In what century did Percy Bysshe Shelley write?

  19th century
• What literary movement is Shelley associated with?

  Romanticism
• Who were the other members of the "big six" romantic poets?

  Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats, Byron
• What political beliefs did Shelley hold?

  Atheism and anarchism
• How does Shelley view the pursuit of power in "Ozymandias"?

  As futile and meaningless
• What contest did Shelley write "Ozymandias" for?

  A sonnet writing contest
• Who was Shelley's friend and opponent in the sonnet contest?

  Horace Smith
• What is the historical figure that "Ozymandias" is based on?

  Ramesses II
• What does the poem suggest about human creations?

  They eventually become insignificant
• What does the phrase "half sunk" imply about Ozymandias's statue?

  It signifies decay and ruin
• What literary device is used in "a shattered visage lies"?

  Hyperbaton
• How does the sculptor's portrayal of Ozymandias differ from the king's own image?

  The sculptor mocks the king's arrogance
• What does the term "synecdoche" refer to in the poem?

  Using a part to represent the whole
• What does the juxtaposition of "lifeless things" and "king of kings" suggest?

  Irony in Ozymandias's legacy
• What does the phrase "look on my works" imply about Ozymandias's achievements?

  They are now insignificant and ruined
• How does Shelley use sound devices in the poem's final lines?

  To emphasize decay and insignificance
• What does the phrase "nothing beside remains" signify?

  All human achievements fade away
• How does the rhyme scheme of "Ozymandias" differ from traditional sonnets?

  It is unorthodox and irregular
• What is iambic pentameter?

  Five unstressed-stressed rhythmic units
• What does the broken statue of Ozymandias symbolize?

  The impermanence of power
• What does the traveler represent in the poem?

  A casual observer of history
• How does the poem's structure reflect its themes?

  It mirrors the tension between power and decay
• What does the phrase "the natural course of time" suggest?

  Time ultimately erodes all creations
• What is the significance of the poem's ending sounds?

  They highlight the silence of time
• What does Shelley imply about human efforts to achieve immortality?

  They are ultimately futile
• What does the phrase "decay colossal wreck" suggest?

  The inevitable decline of all power
• How does the poem reflect the Romantic ideals?

  It emphasizes emotion over rationality
• How does the poem's voice shift affect its meaning?

  It creates irony and distance from Ozymandias
• What does the phrase "vast and trunkless legs of stone" imply?

  Ozymandias's power has diminished
• What does the poem suggest about the relationship between art and legacy?

  Art can outlast human power
• What does the phrase "the heart fed with artistic satirical energy" imply?

  The sculptor infused emotion into his work
• How does the poem's imagery contribute to its themes?

  It illustrates the contrast between power and decay
• What does the phrase "the only immortal and constant thing" refer to?

  Time and nature
• How does Shelley use irony in "Ozymandias"?

  To highlight the futility of power
• What does the phrase "the casual narrative of this traveler" suggest?

  History is often told by ordinary people
• What does the poem's conclusion imply about human ambition?

  It ultimately leads to insignificance
• What does the phrase "the architectural splendor" refer to?

  Ozymandias's intended monument
• How does the poem reflect the passage of time?

  It shows how time erodes all things