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Ozymandias Analysis and My Last Duchess Poem: How is Power Presented?

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Cinzia

1/7/2023

English Literature

how is presented the power in ‘ozymandias’ and ‘my last duchess’

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English Literature

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Poetry II

/

Poetry II

/

Explain the Function of Specific Words and Phrases in a Text

Ozymandias Analysis and My Last Duchess Poem: How is Power Presented?

My Last Duchess and Ozymandias are two powerful poems exploring themes of control, power, and human mortality. Both works demonstrate how power can corrupt and ultimately prove temporary, though they approach this theme from different angles - Browning through a possessive Duke's monologue, and Shelley through the ruins of an ancient king's monument.

  • The My Last Duchess poem reveals a controlling Duke who viewed his wife as a possession, ultimately leading to her implied murder
  • Ozymandias presents the futility of human power against time and nature
  • Both poems employ careful structural choices to reinforce their themes
  • The works share commentary on the temporary nature of human authority and control
  • Poetic devices like rhyme scheme and meter are used strategically in both pieces
...

1/7/2023

1271

Colourbook my last duchess and Ozymandias Both poems 'azymandias' and ` my last Duchess explore the theme of the power of humans. In the poe

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The Temporary Nature of Power in "Ozymandias"

Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "Ozymandias" explores the theme of power from a different angle, focusing on its temporary nature. The poem describes a ruined statue of a once-powerful king in a desert landscape.

Example: The statue's inscription boasts of the king's power, but the statue itself is now a "colossal wreck."

This ironic contrast between the king's boastful words and the statue's current state emphasizes how even the mightiest human power is ultimately fleeting.

Vocabulary: Irony - A state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects.

The poem uses vivid imagery to describe the statue:

Quote: "Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command..."

This description shows how time and nature have eroded the once-imposing statue, suggesting that natural forces are more powerful and enduring than human authority.

The final lines of the poem reinforce this theme:

Quote: "Nothing beside remains. Round the decay / Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare / The lone and level sands stretch far away."

These lines emphasize the vast, enduring desert landscape in contrast to the ruined statue, highlighting the insignificance of human power in the face of time and nature.

Colourbook my last duchess and Ozymandias Both poems 'azymandias' and ` my last Duchess explore the theme of the power of humans. In the poe

View

Structural Elements Reinforcing Themes of Power

Both poems use their structure to reinforce their themes about power, but in different ways.

"Ozymandias" is a sonnet, but it doesn't follow the regular sonnet rhyme scheme. This structural choice reflects the poem's theme of how human power and structure can be easily destroyed. The use of disrupted iambic pentameter further emphasizes this idea.

Definition: Iambic pentameter - A common meter in poetry consisting of a line with five feet, each foot containing an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

In contrast, "My Last Duchess" uses rhyming couplets, creating a rigid form that mirrors the Duke's controlling nature. This strict structure leaves no room for change or questioning, much like the Duke's inflexible attitude.

Highlight: The rigid rhyme scheme in "My Last Duchess" reflects the Duke's controlling personality and leaves no space for alternative viewpoints.

The poem is written as a dramatic monologue, giving the impression of a one-sided conversation. The use of iambic pentameter in this context creates a conversational, almost chatty tone, which contrasts with the dark subject matter.

These structural choices in both poems serve to deepen our understanding of how power is presented and explored in each work.

Colourbook my last duchess and Ozymandias Both poems 'azymandias' and ` my last Duchess explore the theme of the power of humans. In the poe

View

Page 4: Technical Elements

The final page concludes with technical analysis of the poems' meters and tones.

Highlight: The use of iambic pentameter in My Last Duchess creates a conversational tone appropriate to its dramatic monologue format.

Vocabulary: Rhyming couplets - pairs of lines that rhyme with each other.

Example: The chatty tone created by the meter reflects the Duke's conversation with his visitor.

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Subjects

English Literature

Poetry II

Poetry II

Explain the Function of Specific Words and Phrases in a Text

 

English Literature

•

1,271

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Jan 7, 2023

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4 pages

Ozymandias Analysis and My Last Duchess Poem: How is Power Presented?

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Cinzia

@cinzia.ewr

My Last Duchess and Ozymandiasare two powerful poems exploring themes of control, power, and human mortality. Both works demonstrate how power can corrupt and ultimately prove temporary, though they approach this theme from different angles - Browning through a... Show more

Colourbook my last duchess and Ozymandias Both poems 'azymandias' and ` my last Duchess explore the theme of the power of humans. In the poe

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The Temporary Nature of Power in "Ozymandias"

Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "Ozymandias" explores the theme of power from a different angle, focusing on its temporary nature. The poem describes a ruined statue of a once-powerful king in a desert landscape.

Example: The statue's inscription boasts of the king's power, but the statue itself is now a "colossal wreck."

This ironic contrast between the king's boastful words and the statue's current state emphasizes how even the mightiest human power is ultimately fleeting.

Vocabulary: Irony - A state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects.

The poem uses vivid imagery to describe the statue:

Quote: "Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command..."

This description shows how time and nature have eroded the once-imposing statue, suggesting that natural forces are more powerful and enduring than human authority.

The final lines of the poem reinforce this theme:

Quote: "Nothing beside remains. Round the decay / Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare / The lone and level sands stretch far away."

These lines emphasize the vast, enduring desert landscape in contrast to the ruined statue, highlighting the insignificance of human power in the face of time and nature.

Colourbook my last duchess and Ozymandias Both poems 'azymandias' and ` my last Duchess explore the theme of the power of humans. In the poe

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Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Structural Elements Reinforcing Themes of Power

Both poems use their structure to reinforce their themes about power, but in different ways.

"Ozymandias" is a sonnet, but it doesn't follow the regular sonnet rhyme scheme. This structural choice reflects the poem's theme of how human power and structure can be easily destroyed. The use of disrupted iambic pentameter further emphasizes this idea.

Definition: Iambic pentameter - A common meter in poetry consisting of a line with five feet, each foot containing an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

In contrast, "My Last Duchess" uses rhyming couplets, creating a rigid form that mirrors the Duke's controlling nature. This strict structure leaves no room for change or questioning, much like the Duke's inflexible attitude.

Highlight: The rigid rhyme scheme in "My Last Duchess" reflects the Duke's controlling personality and leaves no space for alternative viewpoints.

The poem is written as a dramatic monologue, giving the impression of a one-sided conversation. The use of iambic pentameter in this context creates a conversational, almost chatty tone, which contrasts with the dark subject matter.

These structural choices in both poems serve to deepen our understanding of how power is presented and explored in each work.

Colourbook my last duchess and Ozymandias Both poems 'azymandias' and ` my last Duchess explore the theme of the power of humans. In the poe

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Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Page 4: Technical Elements

The final page concludes with technical analysis of the poems' meters and tones.

Highlight: The use of iambic pentameter in My Last Duchess creates a conversational tone appropriate to its dramatic monologue format.

Vocabulary: Rhyming couplets - pairs of lines that rhyme with each other.

Example: The chatty tone created by the meter reflects the Duke's conversation with his visitor.

Colourbook my last duchess and Ozymandias Both poems 'azymandias' and ` my last Duchess explore the theme of the power of humans. In the poe

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Power and Control in "My Last Duchess"

The poem "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning explores the theme of power through the perspective of a controlling Duke. The Duke's anger and desire for control over his wife are central to the poem's narrative.

Highlight: The Duke's increasing anger throughout the poem stems from his inability to control his wife.

The Duke's frustration is evident in his description of the Duchess:

Quote: "She had a heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad, too easily impressed."

This quote reveals the Duke's displeasure with his wife's open and friendly nature, which he perceives as a threat to his authority.

The poem strongly implies that the Duke's need for control led to drastic actions:

Quote: "Then all smiles stopped together."

This ambiguous line suggests that the Duke may have had his wife killed to assert his ultimate control over her.

Vocabulary: Ambiguous - Open to more than one interpretation; not having one obvious meaning.

Even after her death, the Duke continues to exert power over his wife's memory:

Quote: "None puts by the curtain I have drawn for you, but I."

This line illustrates how the Duke now controls who can view his wife's portrait, treating her memory as another possession to be controlled and displayed at his discretion.

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Stefan S

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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

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Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

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I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️

Thomas R

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Brad T

Android user

Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

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Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

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Aubrey

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Marco B

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Elisha

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This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!

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