quote/feature bank
“new-born infants tear” | London | babies are born into this system with no way to escape | n/a |
“chartered Thames” | London | criticizes the capitalist society where everything is chartered | juxtaposition |
“mind-forged manacles” | London | people are trapped in this cruel society by the ideals (capitalism) | alliteration |
“chimney sweeper’s cry” | London | people are trapped in this cruel society and miserable | n/a |
“youthful harlots curse” | London | people are miserable in this society | n/a |
“runs in blood down palace walls” | London | the people in power are responsible for the failings of society | metaphor |
“blackening church” | London | the people in power are responsible for the failings of society | metaphor |
regular structure in stanzas | London | mimics the regular cityscape as well as reflects how almost everyone feels the same way | n/a |
repetition of “every” | London | emphasises how everyone feels the same way | n/a |
“look upon my works and despair” | Ozymandias | suggests Ozymandias was a cruel tyrant → this is also the only part of the statue which remains | juxtaposition |
“sneer of cold command” | Ozymandias | suggests Ozymandias was a cruel tyrant | guttural alliteration |
“King of Kings” | Ozymandias | this proclamation is ironic because the statue is in ruins, showing how pride is damaging | guttural alliteration irony |
“lone and level sands” | Ozymandias | even the most powerful will be destroyed and forgotten | alliteration and imagery |
“nothing beside remains” | Ozymandias | such a harsh comparison that it’s almost comical | juxtaposition |
blank verse | Ozymandias | n/a | n/a |
ekphrasis | Ozymandias | n/a | n/a |