ozymandias

Question 1

overview

Answer 1

In this sonnet, Shelly thinks about a ruler who had a lot of power and how the desert had destroyed it. Ozymandias is the Greek word for the Egyptian pharaoh Rameses II. There is a contrast in the poem between the past where Ozymandias has power and the present where he has none because everyone has forgotten about him. The speaker describes the ruins of a once powerful statue. The words on the statue show Ozymandias’ pride in himself and his power. The words are meaningless now because the work and power that once surrounded him was destroyed by time and nature. Shelly is a Romantic poet and used the poem to criticise those in power because he was anti-authority.

Question 2

beginning

Answer 2

• Shelly describes how he met a traveller who told the story of Ozymandias’ statue. What was left of it was two ‘vast and trunkless legs.’ The word ‘vast’ suggests that Ozymandias has power because the legs are so massive and seem to stretch on forever. In contrast, the legs are ‘trunkless’ which suggests he has no power because the statue was cut short and not much remains.
• The statue is described as ‘shattered’ which suggests how the reader should feel pity for Ozymandias because the memory of a once powerful man has been destroyed. He has been reduced to nothing.

Question 3

middle

Answer 3

• The true nature of Ozymandias is revealed when the statue is described to have a ‘sneer of cold command.’ This suggests how Ozymandias was a cold and proud man because his statue has a ‘sneer.’ This could change the readers opinion of Ozymandias and make them no longer pity him. The reader may change their opinion to think that he is a tyrant and doesn’t care about his people. This suggests how the sculptor and art is more powerful than man because by mocking Ozymandias the sculptor has changed the readers perception of him.
• However, he is also described as ‘the heart that fed’ which suggests how he was powerful because he had the power to stop his people from starving or he could take that ability away. The fact that he was described as the ‘heart’ emphasises how powerful he was when he was alive because the heart is central to the whole body and is the reason why we are alive. By comparing him to the heart is shows how important he used to be.

Question 4

end

Answer 4

• On the statue it reads ‘look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’ He is telling other powerful people, the ‘mighty’ to look at all his work and feel threatened. This suggests how Ozymandias has extreme pride as he is trying to show off his power and his empire. However, it is ironic because his works have all gone and there is only a ‘colossal wreck.’ This suggests that he has lost all power because he has nothing left that people can remember him by.
• Finally, Shelly describes the ‘lone and level sands’ which suggest how nature and time is more powerful than man because the sands are still there and have lasted for longer. Therefore, nature and time is the most powerful things of all.

Question 5

form & structure

Answer 5

• There is lots of sibilance which symbolises the wind that is gradually eroding the statue.
• Nature is present throughout the whole poem but becomes more present towards the end which suggests how powerful it is.
• It’s a sonnet because its about ozymandias’ love for himself - ironic because the poet is mocking his ego