‘Ozymandias’ – Percy Shelley Learning Objective: Explore layers of meaning in ‘Ozymandias’ (denotative and connotative) Learning Outcomes: Comment on the layers of meaning in the poem, with a particular focus on Hubris/power ‘Ozymandias’ – Percy Shelley

Percy Shelley 1792 - 1822 Romantic period poet. Radical anti-government. Died in a shipwreck. Married to Mary Shelley, who wrote Frankenstein.

1st Layer of meaning – Egypt Context To fully understand what is happening in this poem, we need to know: - That ‘Ozymandias’ is the Greek name for the Egyptian Pharaoh Rameses II. - That the Egyptian civilisation fell – conquered by the Romans. (This is why the poem is ironic: “Behold my works...and despair”. What works? “Nothing beside remains”.) – Hubris of Rameses II.

I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. 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, Framed narrative creates mystery and intrigue Trunk = torso Visage= face/likeness Finds an enormous, broken statue in the desert. The face captured a very particular expression.

The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed 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!’ Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare, The lone and level sands stretch far away".  Sculptor Mocked – made a copy of them Words written on the statue Ozymandias is the Greek name for Egyptian Pharaoh Rameses II. Some historical knowledge is needed to know this – context. His grand declaration is ironic, because nothing else remains.

2nd layer of meaning – Radicalism context Percy Shelley, the poet, is using this as an analogy. He was a rebel against the Monarchy and Government. Just like Rameses II thought his empire would never fall, so the British government is confident in its power – hubris. However, just like the Egyptians, the Monarchy will eventually lose its power - time.

Form and Style Sonnet (14 lines iambic pentameter) – however, defies the traditional ‘subject matter’ of the sonnet. Framed narrative – 3rd hand information. Poetic diction – the tone is grand, majestic, and proud. Poetic syntax – the sentence structure is unusual and old-fashioned (archaic). Archaic language – likewise, the language is archaic, even by the standards of the Romantic period.

Structure What is the impact the focus on different parts of the statue? Why does the poet then describe the enormous desert at the end of the poem? What is the impact of this?

Themes: Poetry vs Politics One idea present in this poem is that words can last longer than politics. Despite the statue being broken, the civilisation gone, the words on the statue remain. Literature is therefore more enduring, and in its way powerful than politics.

Themes: Man vs Nature Man’s “works” and political structures are seen as stable, powerful and meaningful. Shelley is arguing with this – time, an aspect of nature, manages to overthrow all of man’s designs. Nature will, eventually, conquer mankind itself. When humankind is extinct, time will keep rolling on.

Themes: Hubris Rameses II’s hubris– even “the mighty” will “despair” at his works. However, his achievements have come to nothing. We only remember him through the sculpture – so, in a way, the artist who made the statue has had more of a legacy. Time, and therefore nature, dwarfs the power of man. Rameses II’s hubris echoes that of the monarchy.

Exam style question: Compare the way in which the power of nature is presented in Ozymandias and one other poem from ‘Power and Conflict’ What other poems consider the power of nature?