Ozymandias Flashcards
(38 cards)
What does the narrator’s perspective in ‘Ozymandias’ highlight?
The narrator hasn’t seen the statue himself, emphasizing Ozymandias’s unimportance now.
This framing suggests the statue’s significance has diminished over time.
How does the setting in ‘Ozymandias’ contribute to the poem’s themes?
It suggests an absence of life and vitality.
This absence emphasizes the decay of human achievements.
What does the term ‘mock’ imply in the context of the sculptor’s work?
To ridicule or create a likeness of something.
It suggests that the sculptor may have intended to make fun of Ozymandias.
What effect does having a stressed syllable at the start of the line create?
It heightens Ozymandias’s tone of command.
This reinforces the authority he once held.
What does the ruined statue symbolize in relation to time?
Human achievements are insignificant compared to the passing of time.
The statue’s decay reflects the inevitability of time’s effects.
What imagery is presented in the opening lines of ‘Ozymandias’?
Two vast and trunkless legs of stone and a shatter’d visage.
This imagery emphasizes the statue’s size and its incomplete state.
What ironic message is conveyed through Ozymandias’s boastful inscription?
He challenges other rulers to despair at his works, yet they should despair because their power is temporary.
This irony underscores the transient nature of power.
What does the juxtaposition of ‘survive’ and ‘lifeless’ suggest?
Art can outlast human power, but ultimately art can’t immortalize power.
This reflects on the limitations of artistic representation.
What literary device emphasizes the empty space in the surrounding desert?
Alliteration.
This device enhances the feeling of desolation.
What does the vast desert represent in relation to the statue?
The desert survives longer than the broken statue, emphasizing its insignificance.
This symbolizes nature’s permanence compared to human endeavors.
Who was Shelley, and what were his views?
Shelley was a ‘Romantic’ poet who disliked monarchies and absolute power, inspired by the French Revolution.
His views influenced the themes present in ‘Ozymandias’.
What does the term ‘Ozymandias’ refer to?
Another name for Ramesses II, a ruler of Ancient Egypt.
This historical reference adds depth to the poem’s themes of power and decay.
Fill in the blank: ‘Ozymandias’ emphasizes the _______ of human achievements over time.
[insignificance]
True or False: The poem ‘Ozymandias’ celebrates the enduring nature of human power.
False.
The poem illustrates the fleeting nature of power.
What does ‘trunkless’ mean in the context of the statue?
Without a torso.
This description highlights the statue’s incomplete state.
What does ‘visage’ refer to in the poem?
Face.
The visage described is part of the ruined statue.
What is the meaning of ‘pedestal’ in the context of sculptures?
Base of a statue.
The pedestal often carries an inscription, as seen in ‘Ozymandias’.
What does the word ‘colossal’ signify?
Very large.
It describes the impressive size of the statue before its ruin.
Who was Percy Bysshe Shelley?
A ‘Romantic’ poet who became famous after his death
What inspired Shelley to write ‘Ozymandias’?
Hearing about an Italian explorer retrieving the statue from the desert
What does the narrator encounter in ‘Ozymandias’?
A traveller who tells him about a statue in the desert
What does the statue in ‘Ozymandias’ represent?
A king who ruled over a past civilization
What is the inscription on the statue’s base about?
The king’s proud and arrogant boasting of his power
What remains of the statue in ‘Ozymandias’?
Only the ruins of the statue
