Page 1: Analysis of "Ozymandias"

This page provides a detailed Ozymandias poem analysis English literature GCSE, breaking down the sonnet line by line and examining its key elements.

The poem begins with the narrator recounting a story told by a traveler from an "antique land." This framing device sets the scene for the description of the ruined statue of Ozymandias, believed to be based on the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II.

Vocabulary: Antique land - An ancient civilization, likely referring to Egypt

The vivid imagery of the "two vast and trunkless legs of stone" and the "shattered visage" creates a powerful contrast between the statue's former grandeur and its current state of decay.

Highlight: The description of the statue's "frown and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command" emphasizes the tyrannical nature of Ozymandias

Shelley employs several poetic techniques to enhance the poem's impact:

• Alliteration: "vast and trunkless"
• Sibilance: "Stand in the desert... sands stretch"
• Enjambment: Lines flow into each other, creating a sense of continuity

Example: The use of enjambment in "whose frown / And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command" emphasizes the statue's imposing expression

The poem's structure as a Petrarchan sonnet with iambic pentameter adds to its rhythmic quality and reinforces its themes.

Quote: "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: / Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

This central quote reveals the irony at the heart of the poem. The boastful inscription contrasts sharply with the statue's ruined state, highlighting the transience of power and human achievements.

The final lines describe the vast, empty desert surrounding the statue, emphasizing the ultimate power of nature over human creations.

Definition: Irony - The use of words to convey a meaning that is opposite of its literal meaning

Shelley's background as a Romantic poet who disliked absolute monarchies and was inspired by the French Revolution informs the poem's critique of tyranny and oppression.

Page 3: Extract from "The Prelude" by William Wordsworth

This page provides an analysis of an extract from "The Prelude" by William Wordsworth, a key figure in the Romantic movement.

The extract describes a summer evening when the speaker finds a small boat tied to a willow tree and decides to take it out on the water. This seemingly simple act becomes a profound experience of nature and self-discovery.

Context: Wordsworth was one of the most influential Romantic poets, known for his love of nature and opposition to industrialization

Key features of the extract include:

1. Vivid natural imagery: The rocky cove, willow tree, and moonlit water create a serene setting
2. Sense of adventure and transgression: The speaker describes the act as one of "stealth and troubled pleasure"
3. Personification of nature: The mountain echoes seem to respond to the boat's movement

Quote: "It was an act of stealth / And troubled pleasure, nor without the voice / Of mountain-echoes did my boat move on"

This quote highlights the mix of excitement and unease the speaker feels, as well as the way nature seems to react to his presence.

The extract employs several poetic techniques:

• Enjambment: Lines flow into each other, creating a sense of continuous movement
• Alliteration: "little boat," "troubled pleasure"
• Imagery: "Small circles glittering idly in the moon"

Highlight: The image of circles in the water melting into "one track" suggests a sense of unity with nature

The extract showcases key themes of Romantic poetry:

• The power and beauty of nature
• The individual's emotional response to the natural world
• The search for transcendent experiences in everyday life

Vocabulary: Cove - A small, sheltered bay

This extract serves as an excellent example of Wordsworth's style and the broader themes of Romantic poetry, making it a valuable piece for GCSE poem analysis.