Ozymandias Flashcards
1
Q
who is Ozymandias written by?
A
Percy Bysshe Shelley
2
Q
themes in Ozymandias:
A
power
nature
3
Q
Percy Bysshe Shelley context:
A
- 1792- 1822, born in Horsham
- well known for his controversial political + social views
- he was not famous until after his death
- wealthy, educated, upper class
- friends with Byron
- influenced by French Revolution
- Atheist- kicked out of society
- radical- vegetarian, free love advocator
- believed in the power of nature and power of the artist
4
Q
Ozymandias context:
A
- a.k.a Ramses II of Egypt
- Egyptian pharaoh= a God on earth, head of the government, leader of the army
- ruled Egypt from his teens to his nineties- one of the greatest pharaohs ever
- had many statues built in his honour
- 1300 BC
5
Q
structure:
A
- 14 lines- sonnet
- iambic pentameter- 10 syllables in each line and every other syllable stressed
- ababacdcedefef rhyme scheme
6
Q
tone:
A
- arrogant
- “sneer of cold command”
7
Q
“Ozymandias”
A
- calling himself this suggests that they have a right to everything
- air mandate - greek
8
Q
“vast…”
A
“vast and trunkless”
- juxtaposition
- vast sounds powerful whereas trunkless sounds lost- suggesting that power is ephemeral
9
Q
semantic field of ancient words:
A
“shattered”
“wrinkled”
“stamped”
- adjectives, destroyed and useless
- he has no respect for things which are old
10
Q
“ye Mighty…”
A
“ye Mighty, and despair!”
- he wants other kings to feel bad
- juxtaposed with the simple sentence with caesura afterwards
11
Q
“sands…”
A
“sands stretch far away”
- last view of nature
- emphasises that nature has the power
12
Q
2 artists in Ozymandias:
A
- sculpture
- Shelley
- equates himself to power
