Ozymandias Percy Byshee Shelley

Poem I met a traveler 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.

Structure of the poem A sonnet in Loose Iambic Pentameter Although this poem is in Iambic Pentameter some lines are not in it. Ex: Line 12 “Nothing beside remains: round the decay” It is an Italian Sonnet with an octave and a sestet Rhyme Scheme is ABABACDCEDEFEF. There are three speakers in the poem: the person who meets the traveler, the traveler, and Ozymandias.

Structure cont. Ozymandias is an ancient Greek name for Ramesses II of Egypt Ozymandias is an ancient Greek name for Ramesses II of Egypt The themes of this poem are all things are subject to the laws of time –human life and their accomplishments disappear over time. The themes of this poem are all things are subject to the laws of time –human life and their accomplishments disappear over time. The diction is trunkless, antique, sunk, shattered, wrinkled, cold, lifeless, survived, mighty, despair, decay, colossal, wreck, boundless, and bare. The diction is trunkless, antique, sunk, shattered, wrinkled, cold, lifeless, survived, mighty, despair, decay, colossal, wreck, boundless, and bare. The tone is cold to express that Ozymadias was emotionless and commanded a lot and to express his fall. The tone is cold to express that Ozymadias was emotionless and commanded a lot and to express his fall. An example of imagery from line is the statue in the middle of the desert alone. An example of imagery from line is the statue in the middle of the desert alone.

Interpretation The speaker remembers meting a traveler from an “antique land.” The traveler describe it as a barren desert with only a leg pedestal and head of a broken statute of Ramesses II. On the pedestal it says, “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” For anyone who is reading this he is basically saying “Look around and see how amazing I am!” But around the statue there is no evidence of his accomplishments only sand as far as you can see.

Information on Ramesses II Born 1303 BC, died July or August 1213 BC. At the age of 14, Ramesses was appointed Prince by his father Seti I. Also known as Ramesses the Great He was the third Pharaoh of the 19 th Dynasty of Egypt. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire The Great Ancestor He had made Egypt rich from all the supplied and riches he had collect from other empire. Nine more pharaoh took the name Ramesses in his honor, but non equalized his greatness.

Author’s Biography Percy Byshee Shelley was born on August 4, Percy Byshee Shelley was born on August 4, He went to Sion House Academy before he attended Oxford University. He went to Sion House Academy before he attended Oxford University. Percy was expelled from Oxford in 1804 for expressing his atheistic views. Percy was expelled from Oxford in 1804 for expressing his atheistic views. In 1817 he wrote one of his most famous works “Ozymandias. Which was later published in In 1817 he wrote one of his most famous works “Ozymandias. Which was later published in He married twice and his second wife Mary Shelley was the author of “Frankenstein.” They inspired each other to continue writing. He married twice and his second wife Mary Shelley was the author of “Frankenstein.” They inspired each other to continue writing. On July 8, 1822 Shelley drowned in a storm while sailing his schooner. On July 8, 1822 Shelley drowned in a storm while sailing his schooner.