Ozymandias: A Detailed Analysis

This page provides a comprehensive Ozymandias poem detailed annotations PDF, offering insights into the poem's structure, language, and themes.

The sonnet "Ozymandias" was written by Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1817. Shelley, a Romantic poet, was known for his radical views and interest in capturing intense personal experiences through poetry. The poem was inspired by news of an Italian explorer retrieving a statue from the desert.

Vocabulary: Ozymandias is another name for Ramesses II, an ancient Egyptian pharaoh.

The poem begins with a traveler's account of a ruined statue in the desert. This narrative technique lends a mythical quality to the story and emphasizes Ozymandias' lack of power.

Quote: "I met a traveller from an antique land / Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone / Stand in the desert..."

The description of the statue's remains is vivid and symbolic:

• "Vast and trunkless legs of stone" suggest both impressiveness and decay
• "Half sunk, a shattered visage lies" implies an absence of life and vitality
• The face's "frown", "wrinkled lip", and "sneer of cold command" reveal the ruler's arrogance

Highlight: The sculptor's skill in capturing Ozymandias' passions is contrasted with the lifelessness of the statue, emphasizing the temporality of human achievement.

The poem's volta occurs at line 9, marking a shift in focus to the inscription on the pedestal. The irony of Ozymandias' boastful words is stark when juxtaposed with the desolate surroundings.

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

The final lines emphasize the vast emptiness surrounding the ruins, reinforcing the theme of human insignificance in the face of time and nature.

Example: The alliteration in "lone and level sands stretch far away" emphasizes the feeling of empty space.

The poem's form and structure contribute to its meaning:

• It's a sonnet with a disrupted rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter, reflecting how power structures can be destroyed
• The use of a second-hand account distances the reader from the dead king
• The structure builds up an image of the statue piece by piece before zooming out to the vast desert

Definition: Hubris - excessive pride or self-confidence, often leading to downfall.

The poem's themes include:

• Pride and arrogance of rulers
• The temporary nature of human power and achievement
• The enduring power of art, though even it cannot grant immortality
• The supremacy of nature and time over human endeavors

This Ozymandias analysis PDF reveals how Shelley masterfully uses language and structure to convey profound ideas about power, legacy, and the human condition.