Ozymandias Flashcards
My name is Ozymandias,King of Kings:/Look on my works, ye Mighty and despair!”
Shelly has reduced Ozzys power by giving him only two lines however within these two lines he refers to himself at least four times suggesting that he is desperate for his power to be real . By using “ye Mighty” he sounds almost sarcastic in his belief for gods power which is furthered when he uses the two imperatives”Look” and “despair!” which shows his arrogance and hubristic nature. The exclamation mark at the end of despair is used to show that he is yelling however people only yell when they want attention as no one cares .
“Tell that it’s sculptor well those passions read”
This implies that it was an accurate assessment of Ozzy hence letting the reader know that it wasn’t just a bad piece of art. It also suggests Ozxy liked the idea of being feared and wanted future generations to remember his rule
Nothing beside remains . Round the decay
The use of caesura gives a pause for the reader to think about how his arragonce didn’t benefit anyone and only his high opinion of himself remains it also shows that he doesn’t have power, which is Shelley’s message. The automatic change from yelling about his power to the fact nothing remains emphasise it . Alternatively, his legacy and power still exists because even though the statue has been torn down his name still carries on. He has created so,etching which is impressive considering as he did not really have the public’s support.
Ozymandias
His name itself which he chose and was not given to him presents himself as ruler of everything that air touches as it means King of Air.
What type of poem is Ozzy
It is an ironic sonnet as it has a corrupted rhyme scheme which signifies the corruption within Ozzy and his reign. A sonnet os usually about love and this one presents ozzys love for himself
Point
Shelly is indirectly trying to portray his dislike for the power that the crown has which caused them to be arrogant when he believed that a humble le@der is a good leader. He had to make speaker as a traveller so that he couldn’t be tried for treason as he was just repeating a story about a pharaoh who the Egyptians believed were the physical reincarnation of the God Horus .
