Ozymandias by Percy Shelly

Paragraph Synopsis

  • The poem concerns the discovery of a semi-destroyed and decaying statue of Ramesses II, also known as Ozymandias, and shows how power deteriorates and won’t last forever. In the poem, the King’s pedestal claims he was “king of kings”, showing his arrogance. This shows irony as the statue is surrounded by nothing but an empty desert

Context

  • Shelly was a radical, romantic poet; he was vegetarian, strongly anti-monarchy, pacificist, atheist, anti-religion and supported justice, wanting to end the oppression of ordinary people inspired by the French Revolution. He ever got expelled from Oxford University for handing atheist pamphlets and ran off with his first wife at 19, writing Love’s Philosophy.

  • He focused on subjective and emotional (typical with romantic poets), contrasting with the Enlightment values. During the Enlightenment, writers would center on the beauty of nature, simplicity of the past as well as te overwhelming power and awe of nature with a rejection of institutions of power and poetry was used to spread messages and political ideas.

  • Based off of Ramesses II, who’s statue had been recently discovered at the time, made it a topical piece. Ramesses II is remembered for his tyranny and military exploits, having a large empire over Egypt and his defeat. King George III had a big influence, with the poem being written in his reign. He engaged in military conflicts, oppression and tyranny which Shelly opposed.

  • In the poem, Shelly had been thought to make implicit links between Ramesses II and King George III, who was generally disliked. The poem engages with the issues of power and conflict with the pharoah’s work, many of which are almost destroyed or haven’t lasted. This decay reflects how exploits aren’t morally good, will be criticized and forgotten about. Ozymandias thought he would be remembered thought his creations are barely standing. It also touches on the power of art and words as though he isn’t well remembered, words on the inscription of the statue still remained. The overall message is that power won’t last forever.

Title and Engagement

  • Ozymandias is a simple one word title and narrows the focus of the poem onoto a single person/entity. It is multisyllabic so it suggests that it will tackale complex issues. It also sounds exotic to contemporary audiences, which interests and encourages them to read and engage with the poem

Perspective, Voice and Opening

  • The poem is written from first person perspective as omniscient speaker. The pronoun “I’ is only used once at the start to show how little the perspective matters, possibly to disconnect the reader away from the author and instead on the political message. Disguising it as from a fictional character, he is removing any blame that society may try and pin on him

  • “I met a traveler” instantly passes any responsibility for opinions and the poem is opened with a dethatched narrative of a traveler to focus on the message rather than Shelly. Ozymandias is used as an allegory of King George III, showing he’s willing to risk criticism to discuss it. Detachment means Shelly is free to express opinions on the monarchy or religion as it is painted as the views of someone else. Having the poem communicated by reported speech helps to trivialize the reign of Ozymandias.

Structure

  • The irregular rhyme scheme contrasts with the single stanza, former suggesting a lack of power and disorder whilst the later suggests order. These reflect in the different views of people on war and conflict as being either beneficial or detrimental to society.

  • Sonnets are used and associated with desire; to express complicated feelings. Traditionally, it has 14 lines of iambic pentameter convey (every other syllable is stressed) with on intricate rhyme scheme. Sonnets typically have a turn where the argument ad rhyme scheme is changed. This is done through the untraditional blending Petrarchan and Shakespearean sonnets to show that all power, even literary conventions, is transient and subject to evolution. The irregular scheme breaks away from the sonnet, enhancing this. Adding his own style encourages the belief that convention should never be accepted without challenge. Sonnets are normally love poems and by selecting the statue to the be the focus - it can be argued that he is making this an object of love and respect, heling to disguise political message.

Language

Message

  • The poem reflects oppression of powerful leaders and transience of mankind’s power, mocking past, present and future rulers for thinking they’ll be any different and showing for how pride allows oppression without guilt. It cruises system where where individuals are given so much power that despite abuse of it, the population are unable to remove them due to no alternatives. It ties with his anti-religion.