Poetry 3

Ozymandias
- by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Outline of the Poem:

This sonnet composed in 1817 is probably Shelley’s most famous and most
anthologized poem—which is somewhat strange, considering that it is in
many ways an atypical poem for Shelley, and that it touches little upon the
most important themes in his oeuvre at large (beauty, expression, love,
imagination). Still, “Ozymandias” is a masterful sonnet. Essentially it is
devoted to a single metaphor: the shattered, ruined statue in the desert
wasteland, with its arrogant, passionate face and monomaniacal inscription
(“Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”).

About the Poet

Percy Bysshe Shelley was born August 4, 1792, at Field Place, near Horsham,
Sussex, England. The eldest son of Timothy and Elizabeth Shelley, with one
brother and four sisters, he stood in line to inherit not only his grandfather's
considerable estate but also a seat in Parliament. He attended Eton College
for six years beginning in 1804, and then went on to Oxford University. He
began writing poetry while at Eton, but his first publication was a Gothic
novel, Zastrozzi (G. Wilkie and J. Robinson, 1810), in which he voiced his own
heretical and atheistic opinions through the villain Zastrozzi.

Detailed Summary

The once-great king’s proud boast has been ironically disproved;

Ozymandias’s works have crumbled and disappeared, his civilization is gone,
all has been turned to dust by the impersonal, indiscriminate, destructive
power of history. The ruined statue is now merely a monument to one man’s
hubris, and a powerful statement about the insignificance of human beings
to the passage of time.

Ozymandias—the statue can be a metaphor for the pride and hubris of all of
humanity, in any of its manifestations.

It is significant that all that remains of Ozymandias is a work of art and a

group of words; as Shakespeare does in the sonnet, ‘Not marble nor the
Gilded Monuments’. Shelley demonstrates that art and language long outlast
the other legacies of power.
Characters

1. Narrator: The poet, Shelley. He assumes the role of auditor to the tale of the
traveler (line 1) and tells the reader what the traveler said.
2. Traveler: A person from an ancient land who tells his tale to the narrator.

3. Ozymandias: Egyptian Pharaoh who is the subject of the traveler's tale.

Ozymandias (also spelled Osymandias) is another name for one of Egypt's most
famous rulers, Ramses II (or Ramses the Great). He was born in 1314 BC and ruled
Egypt for 66 years as the third king of the Nineteenth Dynasty. His exact age at
death is uncertain, but it was between 90 and 99. Ramses was a warrior king and
a builder of temples, statues and other monuments. He was pharaoh at the time
Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, as recounted in the second book of the
Bible, Exodus (derived from the Greek word for departure). In Cecil B. de Mille's
melodramatic film The Ten Commandments, the late Yul Brynner portrays
Ramses, and Charlton Heston plays Moses.

4. Sculptor: The craftsman who sculpted the statue of Ramses.

Literary Devices

1. Alliteration: Repetition of a Sound

a. two vast and trunkless legs

b. cold command

c. the hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed.

d. boundless and bare

e. lone and level sands stretch

2. Anastrophe: Inversion of the Normal Word Order

a. Well those passions read (normally, read those passions well)

3. Synecdoche: A literary device in which a part of something represents the

whole or it may use a whole to represent a part.
“Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them.”
“The hand” in the above lines refers to the sculptor who carved the “lifeless
things” into a grand statue.
 4. Antithesis or an Oxymoron: A literary device in which an opposition or contrast
of ideas is expressed.

The irony is that Ozymandias wanted this sculpture to stand as an impressive

monument for all time, but it has eroded and is now a "colossal wreck." This
phrase is an antithesis or an oxymoron. These literary devices use opposing
terms. In this case, "colossal" refers to the once great sculpture and "wreck"
refers to what it has become.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Bring out the irony in the poem, ‘Ozymandias’.
The statue that was to perpetuate Ozymandias’s memory, his glory and
grandeur lies broken into pieces on the sand in the desert. Nothing remained
except the boundless and bare sand.
2. What was written on the pedestal of the statue of Ozymandias?
The followings were stated on the pedestal of the statue. “My name is
Ozymandias, king of kings: Look upon my works, ye mighty and despair.”
3. “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings” Why does Ozymandias refer to
himself as king of kings?
It shows the arrogance, haughtiness, contempt and cruelty of Ozymandias
—the irony is that in the end nothing remains.
4. What impression do you form of the sculptor who created the statue of
Ozymandias?
The sculptor was a good artist who could bring out the expressions in stones.
He was a good judge and great philosopher who understood the irony and
law of nature.
5. ‘Nothing beside remains.’ What does the narrator mean when he says
these words?
Ravages of time spare no one. All power, authority and glory are reduced to
dust with the passage of time. It’s only art that outlives worldly power and
glory.
6. What does the partially destroyed statue of Ozymandias symbolise?
All worldly power, pride, glory and grandeur are short lived.
7. What is the present condition of the statue of Ozymandias?
There are two vast and trunkless legs of stone. There lay half sunk a human
face beside them. All around the huge broken statue, there lay sand.
8. What is the setting of the poem, ‘Ozymandias’?
The poem Ozymandias is set in a desert in an ancient land. The traveller is
recounting his visit, wherein, he sees two vast and trunkless legs of stone in
the desert sands. There were just stretches of sand all around, and no sign of
any habitation in this antique land.
9. What do the expressions on Ozymandias’ face reveal about him?
Ozymandias’ face had the expression of sneer, conceit, cruelty and cold
command. The haughty wrinkled lip was an indication of arrogance, pride and
vanity.
10. How can we say that the sculptor was a master artist?
The face of the broken statue of Ozymandias had the expression of frown
and sneer of cold command. The wrinkled lip and knitted brow were
expressive of the arrogance of the king. The excellence of the sculptor was
evident from the perfection with which he had captured all the facial
nuances of the arrogant king.
 Long Answer Type Questions
1. Describe the picture of Ozymandias that emerges in your mind after
reading the poem. How was his dream of perpetuating his memory reduced
to dust?
Ozymandias was drunk with power and authority. He had only contempt for
others. He considered others as insignificant mortals. He claimed himself to
be ‘king of kings’. He was proud of his achievements. But ravages of time
spare none. He now lies shattered and buried in sand. Nothing remained of
his power, glory and grandeur. What was left was the boundless and bare
sand. His dreams of immortalising his greatness and achievement go in vain.
Time and unfavourable conditions have reduced him to dust. Though he
emerged as a mighty king, he still remained a slave to the ravages of time.
Whatever remained was for few to see.
2. Explain the above line with reference to the ravages of time in ‘Ozymandias.’
Human glory and greatness are short lived. Kings build statues and
monuments to immortalize their name and fame. But time creates havoc.
With the passage of time glory disappears. Ozymandias statue is reduced to
ruins. Words engraved on it reflect his power but arrogance, human pride
and power are temporary.
3. All his power and achievements go in vain. Ravages of time save none.
Ozymandias thought of himself as a demigod and wanted to be
immortalised in this work of art. All that remained of him for the posterity to
see was dust. His broken statue and shattered face tell the sorry tale of
human vanity.
4. Bring out the theme of Shelley’s poem, ‘Ozymandias.’
Or
“The poem, ‘Ozymandias’ illustrates the vanity of human greatness.”
Comment.
The theme of ‘Ozymandias’ is clear and vivid. No human emotions,
haughtiness, jeer, pride or arrogance, assure immortality and durability
against the all-powerful time and nature. The poem highlights the vanity of
human glory and power. Everything in the world perishes with the passage
of time and under the powerful influence of the elements of nature. Even
the mightiest of the mighty become one with the dust.

No trace of them is left on the sands of time. Ozymandias, a powerful king of

Egypt was proud of his glory and achievements. He desired to immortalize
his name and got a statue built. But nothing could stand against the time and
powerful elements of nature. The broken statue symbolises the destruction
caused by time. The sands, lone, boundless and bare symbolise the power of
the elements of nature.
5. Time brings the greatest of the great to their knees. How is this true of
King Ozymandias?
Ozymandias is a sonnet by P.B. Shelley. It conveys the idea that human glory
and greatness are short lived. Time works havoc with monuments and
statues made by the kings to immortalize their name and fame. Thus, the
poem depicts the futility and temporary nature of human glory and
greatness. Ozymandias was a great Egyptian king. He made his statue to
immortalize his name and fame. With the passage of time his glory and
 greatness disappeared. His life-like statue lay in ruins in a desert.

A traveller from Egypt notices the broken statue of the king Ozymandias. He
finds two huge and trunk less legs of the statue standing on a platform in a
lonely desert. Near them lies, half-buried, the broken face of the statue. He
sees the expression of arrogance and sense of authority on the face of the
statue. I t was the artist’s hand which reproduced the king’s feelings on the
face of the statue. But it was the king’s heart which nourished those feelings
in his heart.

The following words were written on the pedestal:

“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings” The words reflect that Ozymandias
was a king of kings but he did not realize that the human pride and arrogance
cannot live long and that time brings the greatest of the great down to their
knees. Death is an imminent leveller.

6. In today’s materialistic world what can give true and lasting happiness?
Outwardly, when we look at the people around us in general, we find
everyone is part of a rat race competing with one another. In every field,
there is a cut-throat competition. A brother can actually cut his brother’s
throat to get ahead in life. Where exactly are we heading to, no one has the
clue.

Why we are running and what will be the consequences, no one has the time
to stop and ponder. Our lifestyle has robbed us of our naturalness and peace
of mind. This is one reason why we are becoming victims of various types of
diseases. Our mental state is the culprit. We are responsible for this because
of our lifestyle, our pursuits, our short-cuts to achieve so-called comforts
which will give happiness.

But a simple and natural way of living, unassuming of ourselves; can give true
and lasting happiness. Simplifying our lifestyle, meditating a little, having
reverence for nature can do the magic. It is all so easy and within our reach, if
only we can try, we will get what we need at this crucial hour of our life.

Reference to Context:
Question 1.
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.
(i) Whom did the poet meet?
(ii) Where was he coming from?
(iii) What did he see there?
(iv) What do you understand by ‘Near them’?
Answer:
(i) The poet met a traveller.
(ii) He was coming from an ancient land.
(iii) He saw the ruins of a huge statue.
(iv) ‘Near them’ refers to the two legs of the statue that were still standing.
Question 2.
Whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
(i) Whose face lies on the sand?
(ii) What sort of expression did the face have?
(iii) Who read them well?
(iv) Name the poet and the poem of the above lines.
Answer:
(i) King Ozymandias’s face lies on the sand.
(ii) The face had a stern expression that of a powerful commander, who must
have been very cruel and looked quite arrogant.
(iii) The sculptor had quite skillfully brought out the feelings of his subject.
(iv) The poet is Percy Bysshe Shelley and the poem ‘Ozymandias’.

Question 3.
Which yet survive stamped on these lifeless things.
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed;
(i) Explain: “yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things.”
(ii) Whose hands mocked them?
(iii) Whose expressions are carved on these lifeless things?
(iv) What message is conveyed through these lines?
Answer:
(i) The expressions the sculptor had carved out remain perpetuated on stone
till date.
(ii) These were the sculptor’s hands that had so deftly carved and highlighted
the expressions of disdain, cruelty of an arrogant king.
(iii) King Ozymandias’s expressions are carved on these lifeless things.
(iv) The message conveyed here is: Ravages of time spares none. It highlights
the variety of human glory and power that is reduced to dust.

Question 4.
And on the pedestal these words appear;
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
(i) What was carved?
(ii) Where was it carved?
(iii) Explain: Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair?
(iv) What do the words written on the pedestal reflect about Ozymandias?
Answer:
(i) A small introduction of the king and a message for all was carved on it.
(ii) It was carved on the pedestal of the statue.
(iii) Ozymandias tells to his contemporaries to look at his achievements and
power and feel inferior and disappointed.
(iv) It presents Ozymandias as an arrogant and proud king. He wanted to
immortalise his great achievements and show his greatness.

Question 5.
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
(i) Why does he say ‘nothing beside remains?’
(ii) What was the colossal wreck?
(iii) Explain the last line.
(iv) What is the poetic device used is the second line?
Answer:
(i) Once upon a time, there was a vast kingdom. But no trace of it was left
now.
(ii) The huge statue of the king, which had been now destroyed by the tides
of time.
(iii) The ravages of time had wiped every trace of the mighty kingdom of the
mightiest of all rulers. Now only vast expanse of desert land was there.
(iv) The poetic device used in the second line is alliteration.