Ozymandias- Percy Bysshe Shelley Flashcards
Who does the speaker meet?
Unknown ‘traveller’ who has journeyed from land far away
What was the ruined and broken statue the traveller came across?
Huge monument to Ozymandias (Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II)
What was Ozymandias like as a ruler?
Tyrannical and harsh
What does the traveller imply about Ozymandias?
That he had the statue made of himself and the sculptor deliberately made it look cold and sneering
What does the speaker say about the statue?
There wasn’t much left of the statue and nothing left surrounding it
The statue now stands alone as the…
“sands stretch far away”
What type of poet was Percy Bysshe Shelley and what did he write about?
Romantic poet and power of nature
What was Shelley considered to be?
A ‘Radical’- Ozymandias reflects this side of his character
What dangers does Shelley write about?
Dangers of thinking you are invincible, a timeless message
What type of poem is it and what does it show?
Sonnet (mixes 2 main types of sonnet forms) and shows the broken nature of the statue and Ozymandias’ rule
What is the majority of the poem spoken through and how does this link to the stanzas?
Through voice of ‘traveller’- no stanzas implies a long story being told by travellers
What possible themes and links does it have to other poems?
Power- Hawk Roosting, London
Nature and Time- To Autumn, Mametz Wood
What does the poem open in?
First person as the speaker tells of a “traveller” he has met
What does the use of the adjective “antique” suggest?
The land he is visiting is rich with history
What does the “frown” and “wrinkled”, “sneer of cold command” suggest?
That the leader’s proud, arrogant and stern face is still “stamped” on the broken stone, even though he and the sculptor are both dead
