After this pause, Shelley's poem describes a "shattered visage," the enormous face of Ozymandias. In 1817, the British Museum announced that they had acquired a statue of Ramesses II, an Ancient Egyptian ruler. In the next line, the traveler provides interesting insight into the leader here. Similarly, in the Ode to the West Wind, Shelleys lyre opens up the source of a luminous vision: the poet identifies himself with the work of song, the wind that carries inspiration. What are the physical state of oxygen at room temperature? Shelley says nothing about the rest of the face; he describes only the mouth, with its frown,/And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command. Cold command is the emblem of the empire-building ruler, of the tyrannical kind that Shelley despised. He had a frowning expression on his face which reflected his scornful and contemptuous nature. . Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Latest answer posted February 09, 2017 at 1:53:17 PM. The iambic pentameter sounds more natural than many other rhythms, but it still has a purposeful enough rhythm to easily differentiate it from normal speech (even in the 1800s no one would naturally speak the way "Ozymandias" was written). Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown. His kingdom has fallen to ruins; even the mightiest cannot withstand the test of time. The "visage" of the statue is half-buried in the sands of the desert and of time, and is "shatter'd." The poem now tells us more about the "passions" of the face depicted on the statue. Shelley's description of the statue works to reconstruct, gradually, the figure of the "king of kings": first we see merely the "shattered visage," then the face itself, with its "frown / And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command"; then we are introduced to the figure of the sculptor, and are able to imagine the living man . Tragically, Shelley died young, at the age of 29, when the boat he was sailing got caught in a storm. . . eNotes Editorial, 14 Mar. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, 5 Tell that its sculptor well those passions read It was first published in 1818 in The Examiner of London under Shelleys pen name, Gilrastes. In this sonnet, Shelleys speaker encounters a traveler from an antique land. . Although the poem only discusses Ozymandias, it implies that all rulers, dynasties, and political regimes will eventually crumble as well, as nothing can withstand time forever. His fate is not unlike Ozymandias'. On the pedestal are inscribed the words "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: / Look on my works . What does this line from "Ozymandias" mean. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. "Mock'd" has two meanings in this passage. In the Christmas of 1817, Horace Smith and Shelley chose a passage from the writing of the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus. The son and successor of Ozymandias/Rameses II, known as Merneptah, boasts in a thirteenth-century BCE inscription (on the Merneptah stele, discovered in 1896 and therefore unknown to Shelley) that Israel is destroyed; its seed is gonean evidently overoptimistic assessment. in-depth information on the meaning of Dylan Thomas' poem. The repetition in alliteration often makes a poem sound more interesting and pleasant, and it can also create a soothing rhythm in contrast to the tension caused by enjambment (see below). Ramesses II was one of the ancient world's most powerful rulers. 'Ozymandias' is a political poem at heart, written at a time when Napoleon's domination of Europe was coming to an end and another empire, that of Great Britain's, was about to take over. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. For this competition, Shelley and Smith wrote about the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II ("Ozymandias" is the Greek name for Ramesses II). Written in 1817, Shelley no doubt had opinions on the state of Britain and Europe at that time and Ozymandias could well have been influenced by the life of one Napoleon Bonaparte, the would-be Emperor of all Europe and beyond. Ozymandias's "half-sunk . Have a specific question about this poem? A Comprehensive Guide. Smith produced a now-forgotten poem with the unfortunate title On a Stupendous Leg of Granite, Discovered Standing by Itself in the Deserts of Egypt, with the Inscription Inserted Below. Shelleys contribution was Ozymandias, one of the best-known sonnets in European literature. Here the traveler begins his speech. In their pursuit of greatness, they forgot about their very nature: every living thing must die. shattered visage carries a haughty expression of the greatest disdain: his lips are frowning in a sneer, and they are described as wrinkled, an interesting image to consider upon an ancient stone statue. Although it didn't receive much attention when it was published, "Ozymandias" eventually became Shelley's most well-known work, and the phrase "look on my works, ye mighty, and despair" is often referenced in popular culture. Monarchs and dictators and tyrants are all subject to change sooner or later - and Shelley's language reflects his dislike for such rulers. Although the kings statue boastfully commands onlookers to Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair, there are no works left to examine: the kings cities, empire, and power have all disappeared over time. The central theme of the poem is the transience of glory, as well as power. She has taught English and biology in several countries. Shelley makes use of a number of themes in this sonnet. The pedestal stands in the middle of a vast expanse. If any want to know how great I am and where I lie, let him outdo me in my work." So, ironically Ozymandiass statue has exactly the opposite effect that the king intended. The "passions" though, still "survive. A. Ozymandias liked to crack jokes about the lower class B. When Ozymandias orders "Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!" 7Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. It conveys the "cold command" of an absolute ruler. The fallen statue of Ramesses II in Luxor, Egypt that Shelley is said to have based his poem on. This is a scan of the first edition printing. The poet yields to a strong, invisible power as the politician cannot. It does have 14 lines and is mostly iambic pentameter, but the rhyme scheme is different, being ababacdcedefef which reflects an unorthodox approach to the subject. PDF downloads of all 1725 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. "Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley". The shattered visage in the poem 'Ozymandias' belongs to the King Ozymandias. . Round the decay/Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare" In both examples, the line break occurs in the middle of a sentence. Overall, this sonnet paints a picture of an egotistical character who thought himself without rival but who was cruel to his people. Though the pharaoh is long dead, he exists through the creation of a mere sculptor. Besides, he was married to Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read. He is Ramesses II or Ramesses the Great. Round the decay Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.. The word could also make you think of the ruler's power. He abandoned his family to be with her; they married after his first wife committed suicide, and Mary changed her surname to Shelley. I met a traveller from an antique land. Summary and Analysis Ozymandias. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed; And on the pedestal, these words appear: "My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!" It was half-sunk because it had been ravaged by time which spares no one whether rich or poor. He uses words such as decay and bare to show just how powerless this once-mighty pharaoh has become. So the sculptor both belittled and copied this man's passions. Shelley's poem encapsulates metaphorically the outcome of such tyrannical wielding of power no leader, King, despot, dictator or ruler can overcome time. As the poem progresses to the end, it seems the tone softens a bit. An apostrophe is a poetic device where the writer addresses an exclamation to a person or thing that isn't present. Ozymandias has an elusive, sidelong approach to its subject. 'Ozymandias' I met a traveller from an antique land, Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. "Look on my works ye mighty and despair." Meanings of Lines 1-8 I met a traveller from an antique land, The king Ozymandias refers himself as the king of kings because he defeated other kings and sees himself as the most powerful king. Near them, on the sand. He reigned as pharaoh for 66 years, led the Egyptians to numerous military victories, built massive monuments and temples, and accumulated huge stores of wealth. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem. Question 4. He was born in 1792 and died in 1822 at twenty-nine. At first, this line is a tad ambiguous: Is the traveler from an antique land, or did he just come back from visiting one? He also seems to be commenting in line seven that while there is an end to living beings, art is eternalit survives. "Ozymandias" considers the relationship between an artist and his creation. The reader is thus left to reflect on the brevity of life, and the temporary nature of our works here on earth, even the works of a great and renowned pharoah. Irony is when tone or exaggeration is used to convey a meaning opposite to whats being literally said. In a letter written during the poets affair with Jane Williams, Shelley declares, Jane brings her guitar, and if the past and the future could be obliterated, the present would content me so well that I could say with Faust to the passing moment, Remain, thou, thou art so beautiful. The endless sands of Ozymandias palpably represent the threatening expanse of past and future. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
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