“Ozymandias” is a sonnet, a fourteen-line poem metered in iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme is somewhat unusual for a sonnet of this era; it does not fit a conventional Petrarchan pattern, but instead interlinks the octave (a term for the first eight lines of a sonnet) with the sestet (a term for the last six lines), by gradually replacing old rhymes with new ones in the form ABABACDCEDEFEF.

This poem is based on a story Shelley had read about a funeral temple of the Egyptian pharaoh, Rameses II, whom the Greeks called Ozymandias. According to the story, the temple bore an inscription which read: ‘I am Ozymandias, king of kings; if anyone wishes to know how great I am and the place where kings like me lie, let him surpass any of my works.’

Ramsesses II Ramsesses II during his reign built more temples and monuments, took more wives (8) and had more children (over 100) than any other pharaoh. He wanted to built memorials for himself, which he imagined would last forever.

Ramsesses II However, he used slave labour to build them and the slaves suffered hardship under his control. Today, many of these memorials and statues have crumbled into the sands of the desert.

The area, where the statues are built, is known as The Valley of the Kings and a number of Egyptian pharaohs are buried there.

Percy Shelley wrote this sonnet after seeing a huge granite statue of Rameses II at the British museum in 1817.

I met a traveller from an antique land

Ozymandias I met a traveller from an antique land Who was Ozymandias? What does the word ‘antique’ suggest? Who is the speaker? What does the word ‘traveller’ suggest? The narrator of the poem is anonymous, perhaps standing for all men. The traveller he meets is also anonymous. The word ‘traveller’ suggests someone of great life experience who has perhaps taken the Grand Tour and seen any ancient monuments. The use of the word ‘antique’ suggests great age – the land is not just old it is very old. This links into the longevity of the Egyptian culture and history. Students may need a little background information about Rameses II – he was pharaoh for 66 years, a great warrior and responsible for the building of many Egyptian monuments including the temple at Abu Simbel. He was known as Rameses the Great. The narrator of the poem is anonymous, perhaps standing for all men. The traveller he meets is also anonymous. The word ‘traveller’ suggests someone of great life experience who has perhaps taken the Grand Tour and seen any ancient monuments. The use of the word ‘antique’ suggests great age – the land is not just old it is very old. This links into the longevity of the Egyptian culture and history.

Half sunk, a shattered visage lies

Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand, Half sunk, a shatter’d visage lies, whose frown And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command What do the facial expressions tell you about the pharaoh? These first 5 lines concentrate on the image of the statue in the desert. The facial expression of the statue shows the pharaoh to be a proud, haughty man. He is sneering and shows ‘cold command’ – this shows that the is an autocratic ruler – used to issuing commands and having them obeyed. The facial expression of the statue shows the pharaoh to be a proud, haughty man. He is sneering and shows ‘cold command’ – this shows that the is an autocratic ruler – used to issuing commands and having them obeyed.

Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert..

Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone What does ‘trunkless’ mean? What does ‘vast’ suggest? The parts of the statue of Ozymandias are his ‘trunkless’ legs. By describing them as ‘vast’ Shelley suggest size. The complete statue must have been remaining enormous if the legs alone are described as ‘vast’. Think about the monuments in Egypt – they are generally of a great size – what might this say about the pharaohs who built them? The parts of the statue of Ozymandias are his ‘trunkless’ legs. By describing them as ‘vast’ Shelley suggest size. The complete statue must have been remaining enormous if the legs alone are described as ‘vast’. Think about the monuments in Egypt – they are generally of a great size – what might this say about the pharaohs who built them?

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamp’d on these lifeless things, The hand that mock’d them and the heart that fed; Shows that the sculptor knew the pharaoh well. The focus now shifts from the statue to the sculptor. Shelley uses the sculptor’s knowledge of the pharaoh and the statue he has produced to show the reader something of Rameses’ character. Shelley was a republican who had a very low opinion of rulers – he would have seen the pharaohs as despots who ruled over their subjects with cruelty and distain. He believed that all men should have freedom and equality and that no one man should ‘rule’ over another – radical views at the start of the C19th. He is showing his opinion of all rulers through his portrayal of Rameses. The focus now shifts from the statue to the sculptor. Shelley uses the sculptor’s knowledge of the pharaoh and the statue he has produced to show the reader something of Rameses’ character. Shelley was a republican who had a very low opinion of rulers – he would have seen the pharaohs as despots who ruled over their subjects with cruelty and distain. He believed that all men should have freedom and equality and that no one man should ‘rule’ over another – radical views at the start of the C19th. He is showing his opinion of all rulers through his portrayal of Rameses. ‘mock’d’ meant to fashion an image of reality, as in ‘to mock-up’ something.

And on the pedestal these words appear: The engraved words show us the ego of the pharaoh – he states his name as if everyone would know who he was; he claims to be ‘king of kings’, as if he is the greatest of all of them; he addresses his words to ‘ye Mighty’, suggesting that he is addressing those who are considered or consider themselves to be powerful; he tells them to ‘despair’ when they see what he has created, suggesting that his creations will have eclipsed theirs. And on the pedestal these words appear: ‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings; Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’ Shows the Pharaoh’s ego. The engraved words show us the ego of the pharaoh – he states his name as if everyone would know who he was; he claims to be ‘king of kings’, as if he is the greatest of all of them; he addresses his words to ‘ye Mighty’, suggesting that he is addressing those who are considered or consider themselves to be powerful; he tells them to ‘despair’ when they see what he has created, suggesting that his creations will have eclipsed theirs. What do the words tell us about the time scale of the poem?

What is the effect of the short sentence? Nothing else remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare, The lone and level sands stretch far away. What is the effect of the alliteration here? The short sentence here is used for emphasis. The desolation that surrounds what is left of the statue is brought into sharp relief by the short sentence. Size is again highlighted by the word ‘colossal’. The use of alliteration is again used for emphasis – it emphasises the emptiness of the desert – none of the pharaoh’s ‘works’ have survived; the only survivors are the sands and the sculpture. The short sentence here is used for emphasis. The desolation that surrounds what is left of the statue is brought into sharp relief by the short sentence. Size is again highlighted by the word ‘colossal’. The use of alliteration is again used for emphasis – it emphasises the emptiness of the desert – none of the pharaoh’s ‘works’ have survived; the only survivors are the sands and the sculpture.

The lone and level sands stretch far away. 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, 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.

"Mighty should look upon my works, and despair". The poem has been interpreted in a number of different ways, but all centre on the irony in Ozymandias‘s declaration that the "Mighty should look upon my works, and despair".

Does the poem remind you of any tyrants of the 20th century?

Modern day tyrants - how many do you recognise?

TYRANTS Who was who? Sadaam Hussein Genghis Khan Milosevic Adolf Hitler Josef Stalin Fidel Castro

A sonnet Look at: The number of lines The rhythm: regular/irregular Is this a typical sonnet? Compare it to a Shakespeare’s sonnet. Look at: The number of lines The rhythm: regular/irregular The rhyme scheme The theme: is it about love?