![]() This is further highlighted by the semantic field of destruction, 'shattered visage, lifelesss, colossal Wreck" (The capitalisation of the word Wreck works as a transferred epithet -> Ozymandias' identity has gone from being regal to being a wreck).Shelley also uses juxtaposition in the lines "Look on my Works, ye Mighty and despair!/ Nothing beside remains. ' King of kings' also alludes to divine power as Ozymandias believed himself to be as or more omnipotent than God.Shelley then uses the technique of irony to highlight how Ozymandias' power has diminished over time reducing him to "trunkless legs of stone". Shelley makes usage of cacophonous alliteration to present the power Ozymandias once had, 'cold command' and 'King of Kings', these suggest Ozymandias was a stern and authoritative ruler. Then we pick out any literary devices Shelley has used that link to power. How does this link to power? Shelley does not use the traditional sonnet form, this could reflect how Ozymandias' power has not survived in a traditional generational sense, the usage of a regular rhyme scheme also highlights how time has passed. Shelley uses a 14 line sonnet in iambic pentameter and a regular rhyme scheme. The greatest irony in this poem was how the artwork, which was a piece of stone, was able to outlast even the greatest of kings.Firstly we want to highlight any interesting structural devices in the poem and link them to power. The point Shells tried to raise in the poem was that God will outlast all those who attempt to aka a mockery of him. These words appear far-fetched, as the statue has shrunk and the sand surrounding it is as lonely and wild as ever. Ozymandias was so full of authority, even though there was nothing left of what he boasts. Other literary devices such as alliteration are used throughout the novel in order to highlight certain things such as Murderous mark and fiendish finger in chapter 23 it is used in order to highlight the horror Victor is experiencing at the hands of the monster and it echoes throughout the paragraph keeping it vivid in the audiences mind. In this case, the creature reminds people he… Ozymandias At the level of subject matter, the protagonist reveals that he met a traveler who tells him about his journey to an ancient land. It serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of power and fame, and the ultimate futility of trying to defy the passage of time.ĭiscuss the situational irony in Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley. ![]() It tells the story of a once-great king whose mighty works have now been reduced to ruins, and whose arrogance and pride have been laid bare for all to see. In conclusion, "Ozymandias" is a poem that uses irony to great effect. However, the reality is that his works are now nothing more than a sad reminder of what once was, and his own power and influence have long since faded away. Ozymandias declares that his works should be looked upon with despair by the mighty, as if he is somehow superior to them. However, all of this is now gone, and Ozymandias is nothing more than a forgotten figure, his once-majestic statue reduced to ruins in the desert.įurthermore, the irony of the poem is heightened by the fact that the inscription on the statue is so boastful and arrogant. He had the ability to create great works of art, and his name was known throughout the land. In the past, Ozymandias was a mighty king with immense power and influence. The irony of the poem is further enhanced by the contrast between the past and the present. This is the irony of the poem: Ozymandias was once a mighty king, but now he is nothing more than a distant memory, his great works reduced to rubble. However, despite its grandeur and the boastful words of the inscription, the statue is now nothing more than a crumbling ruin in the desert, with only a few fragments remaining. ![]() The statue is described as being a massive and impressive work of art, with an inscription that reads "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" It tells the story of a traveler who comes across the ruins of a statue in the desert and is told the story of its subject, Ozymandias, the king of kings. "Ozymandias" is a poem written by Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1817. ![]()
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