Power and Conflict Key Quotations

What are the first two lines of the poem 'Ozymandias'?

'Two vast and trunkless legs of stone' and 'Half sunk, a shattered visage lies'

In 'London', what does the phrase 'marks of weakness, marks of woe' signify?

It signifies the suffering and despair present in the city.

What does 'troubled pleasure' refer to in 'Extract from The Prelude'?

It refers to the conflicting feelings experienced during a moment of joy.

What does the phrase 'Then all smiles stopped together' suggest in 'My Last Duchess'?

It suggests the death or the end of joy associated with the Duchess.

What is the significance of the phrase 'valley of death' in 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'?

It represents the dangerous and deadly battlefield the soldiers faced.

What does 'But nothing happens' imply about the soldiers' experience in 'Exposure'?

It implies the stagnant and hopeless nature of their situation.

What does 'spits like a tame cat/ turned savage' convey in 'Storm on the Island'?

It conveys the ferocity and unexpectedness of the storm.

In 'Bayonet Charge', what does 'bullets smacking the belly out of the air-' signify?

It signifies the intensity and violence of war.

What is meant by 'tosses his guts back into his body' in 'Remains'?

It signifies the brutal act of violence and its aftermath.

What does 'the world overflowing/ like a treasure chest' symbolize in 'Poppies'?

It symbolizes the abundance of memories and emotions related to loss.

“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone”

ozymandias - symbolize the remnants of a once-great statue, reflecting the impermanence of power and human achievement.

“sneer of cold command”

Ozymandias - represents the arrogance and hubris of a ruler, emphasizing the fleeting nature of power and legacy.

“king of kings”

ozymandias - greatest ruler

“colossal wreck, boundless and bare”

ozymandias - illustrates the desolation and emptiness left behind by a once-mighty empire, highlighting the inevitable decline of all leaders and their monuments.

“One summer evening (led by her)”

the prelude

“troubled pleasure”

the prelude - oxymoronthat conveys the complex emotions of enjoyment mixed with guilt.

“a huge peak, black and huge”

the Prelude - describes the overwhelming and daunting presence of nature, evoking feelings of fear and awe.

“lustily I dipped my oars into the silent lake”

the prelude

“there hung a darkness, call it solitude / or blank desertion”

the prelude