Class – X Subject -English

Poem- Ozymandias

By: Percy Bysshe Shelley

Q1. Write a letter to your friend about the sight you saw and your impression of it. You
may create necessary details.-

12, Malviya Nagar

Indore

24 May, 2025

Dear Shloka,

Earlier this year, I visited Bhangarh. As I left the town, I came upon two enormous stone
legs in the desert that were standing without a trunk. It came as a welcome surprise to find
such a huge building in the middle of nothing. A broken face that was partially buried in the
sand was laying very close to their legs. I drew nearer and made an effort to analyse the
facial expressions. It was the haughty, smug look of a man’s face. When I looked at the
writing on the statue’s pedestal, the mystery became evident. The statue was of
Ozymandias. He was described as ‘the king of kings’. He must have been a very powerful
king. He must have held all other mortals in lower regard.

The pedestal read : “Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair”. But alas! His symbols of
grandeur and glory are reduced to dust. His broken face and broken statue are partially
buried in an infinite stretch of bare sand.

yours lovingly

Preeti

2.Answer the following questions briefly.

(a)“Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” Who is Ozymandias referring to when

he speaks of ‘ye Mighty’? Why should they despair?
Ans- All subsequent kings and queens who will reign after the King Ozymandias are referred
to here. He says they can’t match his splendour and might, therefore they should be sad
and give up.

(b)Bring out the irony in the poem.

Ans- The irony of “Ozymandias” cuts much deeper as the reader realises that the forces of
mortality and flexibility, described brilliantly in the concluding lines, will wear down and
destroy all our lives. There is a special justice in the way tyrants are subject to time, but all
humans face death and decay. The pedestal’s claim that onlookers should despair at
Ozymandias works thus takes on a new and ironic meaning: one despairs not at
Ozymandias power, but at how powerless time and decay makes everyone, even the statue
has been destroyed by time.

(c) The poem re-emphasizes the idea that political power is transient but art is eternal
and it survives. Do you agree? Why/ Why not?

Ans- Yes, I agree that political power is transient but art is eternal. The fact that even this
“king of kings” lies decaying in a distant desert suggests that no amount of power can
withstand the merciless and unceasing passage of time. Yet even as the poem insists that
“nothing beside” the shattered statue and its pedestal remains, there is one thing that
actually has withstood the centuries: art. The skillful making of the statue itself and the
words carved alongside it have survived long after Ozymandias and his kingdom turned to
dust, and through this Shelley’s poem positions art as possibly the most persistent tool in
preserving humanity’s legacy.

(d)Overarching ambition can lead to great leaders and their downfall. Substantiate
your position in favour or in opposition to this statement.

Ans- I agree that Overarching ambition can lead to downfall of a great leader too.

When one is too ambitious, ambition gets the better of a person. For example, in the poem
Ozymandias, the king/ruler probably became too concerned with his power and
immortality and he became delusional that he too will perish.

(e) ‘Nothing beside remains.’ What does the narrator mean when he says these
words?Ans- The narrator highlights the reality that human life is time-bound when he uses
these words. Along with the ruler’s descent came a decline in both the ruler’s authority and
popularity. In this universe, nothing is both immortal and permanent.

(f) What message is conveyed through this poem?

 Ans- This poem makes a very profound reference to the central truth of human
existence—that nothing matters. Everything in our universe is finite and not everlasting.
The enduring character of time and existence has been made clear via this poem.

(g)Imagine that Ozymandias comes back to life and as he sees the condition of his
statue, realisation dawns on him and he pens down his thoughts in a diary. As
Ozymandias, make this diary entry in about 150 words. You could begin like this:I
thought I was the mightiest of all but…

Ans-

Wednesday, 12 July, 2025

9.30 PM

Dear Diary,

I was greatly misguided in thinking that I was the strongest of all. I now see how useless my
might and power are against the passage of time. Being told that my command is useless
makes me sad. The force of reality and nature is far greater than I had imagined. I’ve finally
realised that everything on this planet will change, regardless of any individual
characteristics or preferences. I’ve now accepted the truth that, although I may have been
a brilliant ruler, bragging about it was wrong. Therefore, I believe that one should be humble
and realistic about oneself.

Ozymandias

(h)Ozymandias’ and ‘Not Marble, nor the Gilded Monuments’ are based on the theme of
Time. Compare the two sonnets in terms of the manner in which Time is treated by the
poets. Write your answer in about 150 words.
Ans-
Both sonnets speak about time’s influence and power over all living things. Time is the all-
powerful, eternal ruler which rules over everything.
Shakespeare praises poetry and art in the sonnet “Not Marble Nor the Gilded Monuments.” He
claimed that while time and violence may destroy everything, poetry and art could not. Since
the dawn of civilisation, many bloody conflicts have been waged around the world. In such
conflicts, towns, cities, kingdoms, and nations were destroyed. However, poetry and art were
not destroyed by time; they are still in existence today. In the sonnet “Not Marble Nor the
Gilded Monuments,” the author decides to immortalise his companion. He claims that neither
death nor an adversary will be able to influence his friend’s fate, and neither will be able to hurt
him in any way. The future generations will learn about and appreciate his heroic actions. So,
until the Day of Judgement, his friend’s remembrance will endure forever.
P.B. Shelley discusses the omnipotence of time in the poem “Ozymandias.” The mightiest of
rulers, such as Ozymandias, and all of their kingdoms, can be reduced to rubble and ashes. The
poet does not discuss the longevity of poetry or any other creative form in this poem.
Shakespeare’s work, nevertheless, shows that poetry has greater power than time.
(i)‘None are so empty as those who are full of themselves.’ Compare and contrast the
characters of Mrs. Packletide and Ozymandias in light of this statement.
Ans- Both the characters are vain and full of themselves. The character of Mrs. Packletide was
very selfish and greedy for more. She portrays her vain ambition of outshining Loona
Bimberton which entails her shame, embarrassment, and financial loss. She is overpowered
with absolute jealousy and driven by her competitive nature and craze for publicity. She is left
with nothing but regret and remorse.
Ozymandias was arrogant, conceited, and egoist. He behaved condescendingly with others. He
wanted everyone to bow, fawn, and obey his orders. He made everyone believe if they did not
act according to his will or command, he could have them punished.
(j) Imagine the traveller of the poem writes a diary entry, narrating his personal
impressions about the trunkless statue and feelings about being in the antique land.
You may begin like this…
The moment I saw the vast stretches of sand I couldn’t contain my excitement. In
the midst of this sandy desert, I saw…
Ans-
Wednesday
12 July , 2023
18.30

Dear Diary,
The moment I saw the vast stretches of sand I couldn’t contain my excitement. In the midst
of this sandy desert, I saw a ruined statue lying in the sands. The statue of a mighty
king,Ozymandias who ruled his land with an iron hand. Even his damaged face bore the
cruel expression and a chill went down my spine when I saw the words written below the
statue. I shuddered as I read the lines carved beneath the statue. His vanity and
haughtiness were evident in the remarks, but time had taught him that nothing was more
potent than that. It was truly an eye opener for everyone. Time is a powerful force that
wipes out everything.

ABC