Ozymandias Analysis and Summary

“Ozymandias” is a sonnet by Percy Bysshe Shelley, first published in 1818. It tells the story of a traveler who comes across a ruined statue of the ancient Egyptian king, Ramses II, also known as Ozymandias. The poem explores the themes of power, hubris, and the transience of human achievements.

The Context

To fully appreciate “Ozymandias”, it is essential to understand the historical and literary context in which it was written. Shelley was part of the Romantic movement, a group of writers who rejected the Enlightenment’s emphasis on reason and embraced emotion, nature, and the supernatural. The Romantics were also influenced by the French Revolution, which they saw as a struggle for individual freedom against oppressive authority.

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 Summary

“Ozymandias” is a poem written by Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1818. The poem describes a traveler who meets a person from an ancient civilization who tells him about a statue of a powerful king, Ozymandias.

Time has ruined the figure, and the traveler sees only the remains of the legs and a pedestal with an inscription that reads, “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” The poem reflects on power’s fleeting nature and human achievement’s transience.

Despite Ozymandias’ claim to be a great and powerful ruler, his works have crumbled into dust, and his once-great empire is now forgotten. The poem suggests that even the most powerful and influential people will eventually be forgotten, and their achievements will be lost to time.

Ozymandias Analysis

“Ozymandias” is a poem that explores the themes of power, pride, and the inevitability of time. The poem is written as a sonnet with a rhyme scheme of ABABACDCDEFEFGG. It is narrated by a traveler who meets a person from an ancient civilization who tells him about a statue of a powerful king, Ozymandias.

One of the poem’s key themes is the transience of human achievement. Once a symbol of his power and glory, the statue of Ozymandias has been reduced to ruins. The inscription on the pedestal, “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” is now ironic, as there is nothing left to look upon but sand and sand ruins. The poem suggests that even the most powerful and influential people will eventually be forgotten, and their achievements will be lost to time.

Another theme in the poem is the idea of pride and arrogance. Ozymandias is portrayed as a ruler who believed himself to be invincible and all-powerful, able to shape the world to his will. However, the poem suggests his pride was misplaced, and his legacy has been reduced to nothing. The line “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” indicates that Ozymandias wanted others to feel envy and awe at his achievements, but the opposite has happened.

The poem also explores the idea of the passing of time and how it affects all things, no matter how powerful or significant they once seemed. The image of the statue’s shattered face and the “vast and trunkless legs of stone” symbolizes the inevitable decay and destruction that time brings.

The poem suggests that even humanity’s most outstanding works will eventually be reduced to dust and forgotten. Overall, “Ozymandias” is a powerful meditation on the transience of human life and achievement and the futility of pride and arrogance in the face of the passage of time.

The Poem

The Setting

The poem describes a barren landscape where nothing but “vast and trunkless legs of stone” stands. The traveler describes the shattered remains of a statue, which lies in the sand, its head lying beside it. The inscription on the pedestal reads: “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”

The Hubris of Ozymandias

The poem then shifts to the voice of Ozymandias, who boasts of his outstanding accomplishments and the fear he inspires in his enemies. However, even as he boasts, the statue lies in ruins, and his kingdom is long gone. Ozymandias’ hubris, or excessive pride, is his undoing, leading to his downfall and the eventual erasure of his legacy.

The Transience of Human Achievements

The poem’s final stanza emphasizes the transience of human achievements, as even the mightiest empires will eventually crumble into dust. The inscription on the pedestal, which once proclaimed Ozymandias’ greatness, now warns those seeking to surpass him.

The Significance

“Ozymandias” is a powerful critique of power and hubris and a warning against the dangers of excessive pride. Shelley uses the statue’s ruins to symbolize the fleeting nature of human achievements and the ultimate futility of all power. The poem also serves as a commentary on the nature of art, as the broken statue is both a work of art and a symbol of the hubris that led to its creation.

What does Ozymandias mean

The meaning of “Ozymandias” is a meditation on the fleeting nature of human power and the transience of human achievement. The poem tells the story of a traveler who meets a person from an ancient civilization who tells him about a ruined statue of a once-great king, Ozymandias. The figure, which once represented Ozymandias’ power and glory, is now a mere fragment of its former self, with only the legs and a pedestal remaining.

The poem reflects on the hubris of powerful rulers, like Ozymandias, who believe themselves invincible and all-powerful. The inscription on the pedestal, “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” suggests that Ozymandias wanted others to feel envy and awe at his achievements, but the opposite has happened. The once-great ruler is now forgotten, and his empire has crumbled into dust.

The poem suggests that even the most powerful and influential people will eventually be forgotten, and their achievements will be lost to time. The image of the shattered face of the statue and the “vast and trunkless legs of stone” is a powerful symbol of the inevitable decay and destruction that time brings.

Overall, “Ozymandias” is a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride and arrogance and a reminder that no human power or achievement is permanent. It is a powerful meditation on the transience of human life and the fleeting nature of human management and a warning to future generations not to be blinded by their hubris.

Conclusion

  “Ozymandias” is a timeless poem that resonates with readers today. It is a powerful reminder of the dangers of power and hubris and the transience of human achievements. The poem also highlights the importance of art in preserving and reflecting on the past, even as time erases all traces of our accomplishments.