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Ozymandias (1818): An Analysis - Online Term Papers

Ozymandias (1818): An Analysis

Ozymandias (1818): An Analysis
I met a traveler 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, 5
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; imitated
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: 10
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and ...

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did not want to give up at death the power he had wielded in life.

The irony in this poem lies in the difference between what Ozymandias
intends -- to hold onto the glory of his works after time takes its course
with him -- and what actually happens. This great monument's "frown, / And
wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command" and the inscription on the
pedestal are all meant to inspire fear in the viewer. However, natural
weathering and (possibly) destruction due to conquest have dismembered this
image of the king and rid him of the awe-inspiring ability he once
possessed.

Rhyme plays an elusive part in "Ozymandias," which, when one looks closer,
emphasizes certain aspects of the king. While rhyme is present, no
recognizable rhyme scheme is used. The pattern is as follows (with "/"
representing a slant rhyme): a b a /b a c d c e d /e f /e f (the second
"/e" is a slant of "e," not of the first "/e"). This "boundless" style
seems to represent the way Ozymandias saw himself -- ...

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Ozymandias (1818): An Analysis. (2008, February 11). Retrieved January 11, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Ozymandias-1818-An-Analysis/78888

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 2/11/2008 09:35:38 PM
Category: Poetry & Poets
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 834
Pages: 4

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