ozymandias - percy bysshe shelley

Question 1

“two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand in the desert.”

Answer 1

shows the structure of the statue.

• Adjective “vast” emphasises on the size of the statue which reflects the power he holds.
• Adjective “trunkless” shows the statue isn’t performing its function as it has lost the base foundation, which conveys his power has long been gone.
• Like how a kingdom needs its people for foundation, it is lost which symbols the population has left the king behind
• Setting “desert” suggests an absence of life and vitality.

Question 2

“Half sunk, a shattered visage.”

Answer 2

shows the condition of the statue.

• Adjective “shattered” tells us his legacy is not remembered and cared for, and this also further proves nature and time are more powerful compared to humans.
• Ironic as even a powerful ruler like Ramesses II can’t control the damage caused by the passge of time and nature.

Question 3

“whose frown, and wrinkled lips, and sneer of cold command.”

Answer 3

reflecting on the ruler through the statue.

• Adjective “wrinkled” shows an evil impression of him, which the statue’s purpose was to presents the target through an image.
• Verb “sneer” shows a tyranical ruler who abuses his power, given that he looks down on his people and doesn’t treat them with good intentions.
• Alliteration “cold command” highlights how this ruler rules through fear.

Question 4

“My name is Ozymandias, kings of kings. Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”

Answer 4

what the pedstal on the statue says.

• Short setence to show his importance so he can be rememberd however
  ironically he is forgotten and abandoned by his people.
• Assertion “kings of kings” reveals the ruler thinks he is powerful, similarly to a God as he thinks he is above all the kings in the world.
• Imperative “Look” shows how he orders other rulers to be submissive to him as he is the most powerful and should be admired.

Question 5

“Nothing besides remains.”

Answer 5

everything is forgotten

Question 6

“Round the decay of that colossal wreck.”

Answer 6

shows that the ruined statue

• is a symbol of fragility in human power compared to the long lasting nature.
• Oxymoron “colossal wreck” highlights the once powerful and mightiest ruler’s power is destroyed due to nature and this emphasises on the fragile nature of human power.

Question 7

“Boundless and bare of the lone and level sands stretch far away”

Answer 7

showing a lack of population and human life around the statue.

• Alliteration emphasises on the feeling of empty space and highlights the lack of human who is actually caring for the statue’s condition, showing a lack of care and has been forgotten.

Question 8

CONTEXT

Answer 8

• The use of the sonnet form illustrates how the achievements of even the mightiest tyrants are obliterated by time.
• “Ozymandias” meant Ruler of Nothing.
• He is a romantic poet and focuses on the power of nature.
• Wrote this for a competition with his friend.
• He is criticising people who acts as if they are invincible hence the poem describes the statue as forgotten.
• The statue is of an Egyptian king named Rameses II who was a military conqueror and built many statue of himself.
• Shelley is criticising monarchies or people who have absolute power oppressed people, given that he dislikes them.
• He has radical political views on people who abuses their power and has desires to speak against the injustice he perceived in society.
• inspired by a huge, partially destroyed statue in Egypt.