Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley
This page provides a detailed analysis of Shelley's sonnet "Ozymandias," a Power and Conflict poem that explores themes of power and its impermanence. The poem describes a ruined statue of a once-powerful king, now forgotten in the desert.
Vocabulary: Ozymandias - Greek word meaning "mandate to rule," suggesting power from the title itself.
The poem's structure and language are carefully examined:
- The use of a traveler's account to distance the narrator from direct criticism
- Negative language throughout the poem to attack the concept of power
- Alliterative repetition of the 'c' sound to reflect the harsh nature of Ozymandias's rule
Highlight: The irony of Ozymandias's boastful inscription contrasted with the ruined state of his statue emphasizes the poem's message about the transience of power.
The analysis also touches on Shelley's background as a Romantic poet and pacifist, and his anti-monarchy stance in the 19th century.
Example: The phrase "King of Kings" is noted as a biblical reference, suggesting Ozymandias's godlike self-perception.
The sonnet form is discussed as a metaphor for power structures, with Shelley using it to suggest that even poetic forms, like power, are subject to change.
Quote: "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" - This line encapsulates the irony of Ozymandias's lasting legacy.
