Ozymandias

• The speaker of the poem tells the tale told to him by a traveller who has seen the statue of ozymandias in the desert. Based on the poem, the statue is a reminder of the power of man and the fragility of life.
• In the poem Shelley teaches the reader a moral message about how tyranny and human power is only short lasting in comparison to art and nature. It can be described as an analogy: time will challenge any great civilisation or ruler.
• Shelley was interested in emotion and the power of nature and disliked the concept of a monarchy and the oppression of ordinary people. Therefore Shelley’s message could be directed at autocratic rulers as he seems to be stating that their arrogance and repressive policies will ultimately be destroyed and exist in oblivion.
• The poem being written in a second hand account shows the speaker hasn’t seen the statue himself and this may be used to emphasise how unimportant Ozymandias is now.
• Some suggest that the sonnet form of the poem has been used to mirror Ozymandias’ egotistical love for himself.
• The first eight lines, the statue is described in its different parts to show it’s deterioration over time. The final two lines: the poet has described the huge and timeless desert to emphasise the insignificance of human power and pride.
• There is a volta (turning point) , ‘And on the pedestal these words appear.’ this reflects how human structures can be destroyed and/or decay.
• The sonnet also begins with a rhyme scheme of a shakespearean sonnet: but changes at line 5. This may be used yo draw attention to the ruined and forgotten leaders and his civilisation.
• The ‘frown‘ and ‘sneer of cold command’ tells us that Rameses’ was an autocratic and authoritarian ruler. The use of alliteration (‘cold command’) emphasises his harsh power; he is an absolute ruler - he can do what he wants.
• ”Mocked“has two possible meanings. Either can mean ‘made fun of’ or can also mean ‘copied‘ or ‘imitated’. The “hand” refers to the sculptor, indicating that the sculptor both made fun of and copied the kings passions.
• “King of kings” - arrogant, has grand ideas about power. Considers himself to be superior. His “works” refer to the numerous colossal statues of him. The king tells the ”mighty” to “despair” because their achievements wills never equate to his works. It highlights how boastful he is with a superior, narcissistic attitude.
• “Nothing besides remains” - IRONY - just ruin and devastation - “a colossal wreck”. IRONY 1) Neither ruler, nor sculptor, nor statue remain in any shape to prove Ozymandias’s boast of the power and authority he once held. IRONY 2) The story is told second hand, providing distancing effect which serves to diminish Ozymandias and his supposed once great power even further: it stresses his obscurity.
• “trunkless” . “half-sunk” , “shattered” , “decay” , “wreck” - all stress solitude and crumbling decline. The fact that it is set in the “lone” desert highlights a monotonous, barren, empty waste.
• Oxymoron / juxtaposition of “colossal” and “wreck” - the word “colossal” emphasises the score of Ozymandias’s grand ambitions. This contrasts with the present scene - a “wreck” - all is ruined.
• Adjectives - “Vast“ and “trunkless” are juxtaposed. The size of the statue is shown to be in contrast with the fact that it is broken in half. The statue has been decayed by nature and time. The use of “colossal“ also suggests that even the most powerful human force is no match for nature and time.
• “boundless and bare” emphasises the power of nature - it might seem limitless but, in reality, it is “bare” - empty because nature will always outlast power.
• Pride- the ruler was proud of what he‘d achieved. He called on other rulers to admire what he did.

  Arrogance- The inscription shows the ruler believed that he was the most powerful ruler in the land. He also believed he was superior to those who he ruled.

  Power- the poet suggests that human civilisations and achievements are insignificant compared to the passing of time. Art has the power to preserve elements of human existence, but it is also only temporary.
• Themes

  Death and morality: no human is powerful enough to escape death.

  Power: the speaker explores different types of power in the poem. Shelley’s own radical political beliefs led him to reflect on the transient (temporary) nature of power.
• COMPARE

  ’London’ - power of establishments / civilisations e.g the church, education and power of people.

  ’The prelude’ - the power of nature / a greater force over humans.

  ’My last duchess’ - tyrannical, arrogant display of power
• KEY QUOTES

  ”Two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand in the desert”

  ”Sneer of cold command”

  “king of kings”

  ”colossal wreck“

  ”The lone and level sand stretch far away”
• What is the overall message of ozymandias

  you think you are completely powerful and supreme but power is transitory, it doesn't last forever, it changes over time. Ironic message of complete power