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Title: “Ozymandias of Egypt” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Description: This document is a comprehensive analysis of the poem "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. It starts with a brief introduction to Shelley and his works, followed by a detailed, line-by-line analysis of "Ozymandias". The analysis covers various aspects of the poem, including its rhythm and meter, rhyme scheme, structure, tone, and the use of figures of speech. It also delves into the theme of the poem and other stylistic techniques employed by Shelley. The language and explanations are simple and concise, making it suitable for high school students.

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OZYMANDIAS
Percy Bysshe Shelley

About Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) was a British writer and a significant figure in English Romantic poetry
...

o Shelley is widely regarded as one of the major English Romantic poets
...

o Although he did not achieve fame during his lifetime, recognition of his poetic achievements grew steadily after his
death
...
B
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Notable Works:
Some of Shelley’s best-known poems include:
“Ozymandias” (1818): A sonnet that reflects on the impermanence of power and human achievements
...

“To a Skylark” (1820): A lyrical poem celebrating the beauty and freedom of the skylark
...

“Prometheus Unbound” (1820): Considered his masterpiece, this lyrical drama reimagines the myth of Prometheus
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o His essay “The Necessity of Atheism” (1811) caused controversy and risked prosecution for religious libel
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o He went into permanent self-exile in Italy in 1818, where he produced some of his finest poetry
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Legacy:
o Shelley’s poetry continues to resonate with readers for its sweeping imagery, genre mastery, and exploration of ideas
...


OZYMANDIAS
Percy Bysshe Shelley
I met a traveller from an antique land,
Who said— “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert
...
Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away
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Each line typically contains ten syllables, with the stress falling on the second syllable of each pair
...

The final couplet diverges from this pattern, with the rhyme scheme GG
...

The volta (shift in tone or focus) occurs between the octave and sestet
...

Tone:
The tone is ironic, emphasizing the contrast between the grandiose inscription and the ruined
statue
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OZYMANDIAS - Analysis
Figures of Speech:
Irony: The inscription’s boastful words juxtaposed with the desolate landscape create
dramatic irony
...

Enjambment: Lines flow into each other without punctuation, emphasizing the continuity of
time and decay
...

The poem questions the hubris of rulers who believe their legacies will endure
...

Caesura: Pauses within lines, emphasizing key phrases
...

The use of the word “antique” suggests a sense of timelessness and historical
significance
...

The statue is missing its upper body (“trunkless legs”), emphasizing its decay and ruin
...
“Vast could also
represent the strength of the empire
...
Near them, on the sand,”:
The statue stands alone in a barren desert landscape
...


Line by Line - Analysis
4) “Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown”:
The statue’s face is partially buried (“half sunk”) and broken (“shattered”)
...

5) “And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command”:
The statue’s lips are wrinkled, indicating age and decay
...

6) “Tell that its sculptor well those passions read”:
The sculptor understood the ruler’s emotions and character when creating the statue
...

7)“Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,”:
Despite the statue’s decay, the emotions and passions of the ruler are still evident
...

8)“The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;”
In this line, Shelley describes the sculptor who created the statue of Ozymandias
...

The phrase “the heart that fed” suggests that the sculptor understood Ozymandias’s
passions and desires, infusing life into the stone figure
...

“the heart that fed” could also be feeding on the suffering of subjects
...


Line by Line - Analysis
9) “And on the pedestal, these words appear:”
The focus shifts to the pedestal on which the statue stands
...

The words inscribed here are crucial in understanding the ruler’s arrogance and the
ultimate irony of his boastful claims
...

By calling himself the “King of Kings,” he asserts supremacy over all other rulers
...

It also shows his arrogance and pride
...

11) “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Ozymandias challenges other powerful leaders to behold his achievements and feel
inadequate
...

However, the irony lies in the contrast between his boastful words and the reality of
the ruined statue
...
Round the decay / Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and
bare / The lone and level sands stretch far away
...

The once-mighty statue lies broken and half-buried in the desert
...

The vast, empty sands stretch endlessly, emphasizing the impermanence of human
achievements
...

The irony is complete: despite Ozymandias’s grand claims, nothing remains but decay
and desolation
...

Imagery and Symbolism:
The half-buried, worn-out statue of Ozymandias serves as a metaphor for the
impermanence of political power
...

The desert, trunkless legs of stone, and shattered visage evoke decay, emphasizing
the fleeting nature of human achievements
...

The poem underscores the ephemeral nature of even the most powerful legacies
...
Art
immortalizes moments and emotions, outlasting rulers and empires
...
Nature ultimately prevails over human endeavors
...

Yet, there’s also a poignant irony—the once-mighty Ozymandias reduced to
insignificance
Title: “Ozymandias of Egypt” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Description: This document is a comprehensive analysis of the poem "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. It starts with a brief introduction to Shelley and his works, followed by a detailed, line-by-line analysis of "Ozymandias". The analysis covers various aspects of the poem, including its rhythm and meter, rhyme scheme, structure, tone, and the use of figures of speech. It also delves into the theme of the poem and other stylistic techniques employed by Shelley. The language and explanations are simple and concise, making it suitable for high school students.