The speaker narrates what the traveller had told him about the sights he had seen there. The speaker in the poem begins by saying that he had met a traveller who had been to an antique land, which in this case is Egypt. Pedestal – the base or support on which a statue is mountedĭecay – decline or get destroyed with timeīare – open area without plants and trees Mock – make fun of by laughing in disrespectful and unkind way (especially by copying what others say)

(It shows the autocratic, domineering and uncaring character of the ruler Ozymandias) Sneer cold command – an expression of haughtiness, scorn or contempt and snobbery while commanding that is dismissive and lacks care for the feelings of the subject. Sneer – a look or expression (smile, laugh etc.) of scorn or contempt to belittle sb/sth.Ĭold – unfriendly and without any emotions or feelings or care for othersĬold command -arrogant, egoist command demanding obedient submission or face punishment

Wrinkles – lines or creases on face due to age or worry Trunk – torso, the upper part of body (from abdomen to where the neck starts)įrown – a facial expression of indicating thought or displeasure or dislike (eyes brows brought together forming wrinkles on forehead) If any want to know how great I am and where I lie, let him outdo me in my work.”Īntique land – reference to Egyptian land In his Bibliotheca Historica, Diodorus states that the following phrase was inscribed at the base of a statue of Ramesses II: “King of Kings Ozymandias am I. The poet shows his pride temperament with the lines in the inscription on the pedestal of the broken statue – ‘My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings look on my works, ye Mighty and despair!’ these lines in the poem seems to be inspired by what the historian Diodorus had stated. He was gone and his empire got buried in the sand and the colossal statues broken and fallen on the sand. Even Ramsses the Great was not spared by the scourge and ravages of time. He reigned as pharaoh for 66 years (1279BC-1213 BC), and led the Egyptians to numerous military victories, built massive monuments and temples (Like the temple of Abu Simble), and colossal statues of his to glorify himself and his regime. In antiquity, Ozymandias was a Greek name for the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II. Nothing can stand and withstand time forever. Even the mightiest ruler, dynasties and regimes will bite dust and their works be buried in the level sand. All power is temporary and is bound to crumble and brought low with the passage of time. The poem uses the historical ruler Ozymandias and explores the fate of history and the ravages of time: even the greatest men and the empires they forge are impermanent, their legacies fated to decay into oblivion. The poem highlights the transience of human life, ephemeral nature of human power and fragility of human existence. Theme and Central Idea of the Poem Ozymandias The lone and level sands stretch far away.Ĭlick here to see stanza-wise explanation (Paraphrase) of Ozymandias Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!' The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,Īnd wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Who said-'Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Below is the complete text of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem “Ozymandias.” I met a traveller from an antique land, and the following year republished in 1819 in his collection Rosalind and Helen. Shelley’s this poem was published on January 11, 1818, in the weekly paper The Examiner. “Ozymandias” is one of the most famous poems of the Romantic era and it has eventually become Shelley’s most well-known work. 5 Ozymandias: Book Exercises’ Solutions Poem Ozymandias

Who was ozymandias