Ozymandias explained.

 I.Introduction

Ozymandias is a poem by the English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley

It was first published in 1818

The poem tells the story of a traveler who describes the ruins of a statue of a powerful ruler, Ozymandias

II.Summary of the Poem

The statue of Ozymandias lies in ruins in the desert

The inscription on the pedestal reads: "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

Despite this boastful proclamation, nothing remains of the once-great empire that Ozymandias ruled

The poem is often interpreted as a commentary on the transience of human power and the ultimate futility of all efforts to achieve immortality through monuments and works of art

III. Poem and Literary Dissection

Ozymandias

By Percy Bysshe Shelley

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, whose frown

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:

And on the pedestal these words appear:

'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away."

• Ozymandias is a sonnet that consists of fourteen lines of iambic pentameter, with a rhyme scheme of ABABACDC EDEFEF. The poem tells the story of a traveler who meets someone from an "antique land" who describes the ruins of a statue of a powerful ruler, Ozymandias.
• The opening lines of the poem set the scene and establish the traveler as the narrator. The second line introduces the image of the "vast and trunkless legs of stone" standing in the desert, which immediately creates a sense of decay and abandonment.
• The third and fourth lines describe the "shattered visage" of the statue lying on the sand, which conveys a sense of violence and destruction. The "frown and wrinkled lip" suggest disdain and disapproval, while the "sneer of cold command" implies that Ozymandias was a tyrannical ruler who commanded his subjects with cruelty.
• In the next few lines, the traveler comments on the skill of the statue's sculptor, who captured Ozymandias's passions so well that they are still visible even though the statue is now in ruins. The phrase "stamped on these lifeless things" suggests that the statue is now devoid of life or vitality, and the hand that once "fed" and cared for it is now long gone.
• The final six lines of the poem focus on the inscription on the statue's pedestal, which reads: "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" The irony of this statement is that it is addressed to the "mighty," but all that remains of Ozymandias's once-great empire is the ruined statue. The final line of the poem, "The lone and level sands stretch far away," emphasizes the desolation and emptiness of the desert landscape, and suggests that Ozymandias's power and legacy have been completely erased by the passage of time.
• In terms of literary devices, Ozymandias makes effective use of imagery, symbolism, and irony. The image of the "vast and trunkless legs of stone" is striking and memorable, while the "shattered visage" of the statue suggests both physical destruction and the moral decay of Ozymandias's rule. The inscription on the statue's pedestal is ironic because it proclaims Ozymandias's greatness and invites others to admire him, but the reality is that his power and influence have been completely erased. The poem's use of enjambment (continuing a sentence or clause beyond the end of a line of verse) helps to create a sense of momentum and movement, and reinforces the idea of the passage of time and the inevitable decay of all things.

IV.Conclusion

Ozymandias resonates with readers because it speaks to universal themes that are still relevant today, even though the poem was written almost 200 years ago. The poem offers a commentary on the transience of human power and the ultimate futility of all efforts to achieve immortality through monuments and works of art. This theme continues to be relevant in contemporary society, where we often see powerful people and institutions fall from grace and leave behind ruins that serve as a reminder of their former glory.

In addition, the poem's skillful use of imagery and language makes it a powerful and memorable work of literature that continues to inspire and captivate readers. The vivid description of the ruined statue and the inscription on its pedestal, as well as the use of enjambment to create a sense of momentum and movement, help to make the poem a powerful and evocative work of art.

Overall, Ozymandias resonates with readers because it speaks to universal truths about the human experience and offers a powerful commentary on the nature of power, ambition, and the passage of time.