Ozymandias (AQA GCSE English Literature)

Each poetry anthology at GCSE contains 15 poems, and in your exam question you will be given one poem - printed in full - and asked to compare this printed poem to another. As this is a closed-book exam, you will not have access to the second poem, so you will have to know it from memory. Fifteen poems are a lot to revise. However, understanding four things will enable you to produce a top-grade response:

• The meaning of the poem
• The ideas and messages of the poet 
• How the poet conveys these ideas through their methods
• How do these ideas compare and contrast with the ideas of other poets in the anthology

Below is a guide to Percy Shelley’s poem Ozymandias, from the Power and Conflict anthology. It includes:

• Overview: a breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations
• Writer’s Methods: an exploration of the poet’s techniques and methods
• Context: an exploration of the context of the poem, relevant to its themes
• What to Compare it to: ideas about which poems to compare it to in the exam

In order to answer an essay question on any poem, it is vital that you understand what it is about. This section includes:

• The poem in a nutshell
• A ‘translation’ of the poem, section-by-section
• A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Shelley’s intention and message

Ozymandias in a nutshell

Ozymandias was written by the Romantic  poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1817. It explores the idea that all power is temporary, no matter how powerful or tyrannical the ruler is, and that ultimately nature is more powerful than any human power.

Ozymandias breakdown

Lines 1-2

“I met a traveller from an antique land,

Who said -”

Translation

• The poem begins in the first person, but then instantly passes any responsibility for the opinions within the poem on to a stranger
• The narrator meets an unnamed traveller, and the poem is then recounted from the perspective of this stranger

Shelley’s intention

• Shelley was anti-monarchy and felt that the king at the time of writing, King George III, had outstayed his welcome
• Shelley probably wanted to distance himself from the political messages of the poem, so he opened his poem with the detached narrative of a traveller
• Shelley also used Ozymandias as an allegory for King George III. The detached narrator meant that Shelley was free to comment on the monarchy as he wished because the views were being presented as the views of someone else

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Lines 2-5

“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,”

Translation

• The traveller then tells of a ruined statue standing in the middle of the desert
• The statue is of a king, Ramesses II, also known as Ozymandias, who ruled over a once-great Egyptian civilisation
• Only the legs and the enormous face (the “ visage ”) remain
• The traveller only describes the mouth, with a “frown”, “wrinkled lip” and “sneer of cold command”

Shelley’s intention

• Shelley is commenting that all that remains of this great and powerful ruler are legs and a “shattered” visage, which creates a sense of irony:
  
  • This is ironic because Ozymandias’s power and pride were based on his image of being a great and powerful ruler, and yet now all that remains are broken parts of a statue
• The poem portrays a king who believed strongly in his own power and superiority, and who tried to  immortalise his power through his statue
• The “frown”, “wrinkled lip” and “sneer” of cold command suggest the cruelty and heartlessness of the ruler, who was arrogant and had nothing but contempt for his subjects:
  • This is reflective of Shelley’s own anti-military and  anti-monarchy stance 
• Yet this statue has now been destroyed by time, and the king has largely forgotten

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Lines 6-8

“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;”

Translation

• The reader then learns of the sculptor, who “well those passions read”, meaning that he could see beneath Ozymandias’s cold, commanding exterior to his passionate rage to “stamp” himself on the world
• When the poet refers to “The hand that mocked them”, he is implying that the sculptor knew Ozymandias’s true and ultimately  futile nature
• The sculptor created the statue in a way that portrayed the cruelty of the king

Shelley’s intention

• The poem presents negative views about the power used to impose will
• It also comments on the arrogance and pride that can come from the type of tyrannical power in which the ruler wishes only to be known for his perceived greatness

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Lines 9-11

“And on the pedestal, these words appear:

My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!”

Translation

• There is an inscription on the base of the statue, with the arrogant claim that he is “King of Kings”
• The inscription invites everyone, especially his “Mighty” enemies, to look at what he has achieved as a ruler, and to know that he believes that he is all-powerful and cannot be defeated

Shelley’s intention

• The irony here is that the statue is falling apart and decaying so that only the ruins remain
• The poet is showing how power deteriorates and does not last forever:
• Even great empires which seem to be eternal can fade to nothingness

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Lines 12-14

“Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

Translation

• The ruins of the enormous statue lie alone in an endless, featureless desert

Shelley’s intention

• The power of the natural world is also evident in this poem
• Sand and the desert are used as a metaphor for the passing of time:
• They also suggest the impermanence of human constructions against the ultimate power of nature

Although this section is organised into three separate sections - form, structure and language - it is always best to move from what the poet is presenting (the techniques they use; the overall form of the poem; what comes at the beginning, middle and end of a poem) to how and why they have made the choices they have. 

Focusing on the poet’s overarching ideas, rather than individual poetic techniques, will gain you far more marks. Crucially, in the below sections, all analysis is arranged by theme, and includes Shelley’s intentions behind his choices in terms of:

• Form
• Structure
• Language

Form

The poem is written in the form of a 14-line sonnet, which blends both Petrarchan and Shakespearean forms, in order to comment on human power and pride

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Established power structures	The poem takes the traditional 14-line form of a Petrarchan sonnet but uses an irregular rhyme scheme and consistent iambic pentameter, which is more typical of Shakespearean sonnets	The irregular rhyme scheme breaks away from the sonnet form, which enables Shelley to imply how poetry and literature can defy tradition and give way to new power
		He is demonstrating that established power structures can be changed
	A sonnet is typically a love poem from a man to his lover	It could also be argued that this ‘love poem’ is reflective of the pride and love Ozymandias has for himself, and not his subjects

Structure

Shelley uses the structure of Ozymandias to comment on the temporary nature of all human power when compared to the power of God or nature

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Futility and impermanence of human power	In line 3 of the poem, Shelley uses a technique called  caesura; a pause that occurs in a line of poetry, marked by the use of  ellipsis	With this technique, the sonnet comes to a halt in the middle of the line
		Shelley uses the caesura to represent the breaking up of the statue
	Shelley also uses  enjambment in the poem alongside the caesura	This creates an uneven pattern reflecting the broken nature of the statue, as well as the fact that nothing can last forever
	All of the lines have 10 syllables, except line 10, “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings”, which has 11	This suggests that the ruler believes himself to be more important than God
	The poet uses a short sentence: “Nothing beside remains”	Shelley does this perhaps to symbolise the finality of death and decay

Language

Shelley uses his choice of techniques and language to compare the ultimately futile nature of human power on the one hand with the overwhelming and everlasting power of nature on the other

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Futility and imperfection of human power	The statue can be seen as a representation of human power	It is a king’s attempt to evade death and cement himself in history, yet it lies broken as a “colossal wreck”
	The “cold command” of the statue’s sneer reflects Ozymandias’s cold and cruel nature	This is also reflective of Shelley’s own anti-military stance, as he was against the “cold commands” of military action
	The inscription orders others to “look on my works”	This is ironic, as they no longer exist
	The setting of the desert is symbolic, as the land that surrounds the ruined statue is a vast, featureless wasteland, without any life or culture	The emptiness of the desert is symbolic of how his reign was ultimately pointless and insignificant, as he has been forgotten by history
Power of Nature	The desert is described as “boundless and bare” and “lone and level”	This communicates the vast, powerful extent of nature and its ability to outlive all other forms of power
	Shelley uses alliteration such as “lone and level”	This demonstrates the vast, unending power of the desert, and contrasts the limited power of man
	Shelley uses the “sands stretch far away” as a metaphor	This shows the passing of time, and how time can erase the power of man

Examiners repeatedly state that context should not be considered as additional factual information: in this case, it is not random biographical information about Percy Shelley or historical facts about the 19th Century that are unrelated to the ideas in Ozymandias. The best way to understand context is to the ideas and perspectives explored by Shelley in Ozymandias which relate to power or conflict. This section has therefore been divided into two relevant themes that Shelley explores:

• The Nature of Human Power
• The Power of Nature

The Nature of Human Power

• Shelley was a radical  romantic poet, who was strongly anti-monarchy, and a  pacifist and he supported social justice
• He rejected institutions of power, and his poetry was used to spread messages and political ideas which needed to be accessible to all
• Shelley wrote Ozymandias to comment on the temporary and ultimately futile nature of human power
• He was also against the monarchy and institutions that represented power and authority
• There are several historical references in the poem
• The first is to the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II, who used the throne name Ozymandias
• Ramesses II thought himself to be a very powerful ruler and is remembered for his tyranny and military exploits, as well as having a large empire over Egypt
• King George III was also an influence in this poem, as he was king at the time of the writing
  • This is reflected in the “sneer of cold command” that initiates military actions
• He engaged in military conflicts and was remembered for oppression and tyranny. Many believed he had outstayed his welcome
• Shelley was a pacifist and positioned himself against George’s military exploits
• The poem also touches on how human power, by its nature, can corrupt and ultimately doesn’t last
• The decay of the statue reflects how exploits which are impressive, but not morally good, will be criticised and forgotten about after they end
• Overall, the poet is criticising power, arrogance and pride, as represented by Ozymandias
• It mocks rulers' past, present and future for thinking they will be any different from the previous one
• Shelley was also perhaps criticising systems in which any one individual is given so much power that, despite their abuse of it, the population is unable to remove them 
• He is also criticising all power being centered on a person who obtains their importance from an image and perceived  divine right to power
• The poem also explores the conflict between humans and memory, as Ozymandias was largely forgotten, even though he thought his memory would last forever
• The poem also touches on the lasting power of art and words
• Many people may not have remembered Ozymandias, but part of the statue remained, as well as the words placed on the inscription

The Power of Nature 

• Certain key themes dominated the poetry of the Romantic era, such as the concept of the sublime
• This term conveys the feelings people experience when they see awesome landscapes, or find themselves in extreme situations which create feelings of both fear and admiration
• By describing the desert as “boundless and bare” and “lone and level”, Shelley communicates the vast, powerful extent of nature
• He also comments on nature’s ability to outlive all other forms of power (and deem them insignificant by comparison)
• The “boundless” desert easily outlives the now-forgotten king Ozymandias

The essay you are required to write in your exam is a comparison of the ideas and themes explored in two of your anthology poems. It is therefore essential that you revise the poems together, in pairs, to understand how each poet presents ideas about power, or conflict, in comparison to other poets in the anthology. Given that Ozymandias explores the ideas of the nature of human power, the corruption of power, and the power of nature, the following comparisons are the most appropriate:

• Ozymandias and My Last Duchess
• Ozymandias and London
• Ozymandias and The Prelude

For each pair of poems, you will find:

• The comparison in a nutshell
• Similarities between the ideas presented in each poem
• Differences between the ideas presented in each poem
• Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences

Ozymandias and My Last Duchess

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both Ozymandias and My Last Duchess criticise the corruption of power by excessively prideful individuals and explore how, ultimately, this pride and power is undermined by forces more powerful than themselves

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems show the effects of power and how it corrupts, as well as how power can be undermined
Evidence and analysis	Ozymandias	My Last Duchess
	In Ozymandias, the poet shows a loss of power over time and in competition with nature, as the character is surrounded by desert which is a symbol of nature and time	Similarly, My Last Duchess shows the duke’s power constantly undermined by the enjambment, caesura and single stanza
	Shelley describes Ozymandias’s “sneer of cold command” as if to suggest that he is a cruel and heartless leader, only concerned with his own power and the immortality it will bring	The Duke in “My Last Duchess” is similarly concerned with his own power and status. Although the monologue is meant to replicate a conversation, there is no opportunity for anyone else to speak
	Ozymandias might have had “cold command” of his “lands”, just like the Duke “gave commands”	Browning writes the monologue to show the Duke’s self-obsession and that he is not interested in anyone’s views other than his own
	The temporary nature of power is contrasted in both poems with the permanence of sculpture and art, as shown by the sculptor in Ozymandias and the painter in My Last Duchess

Differences:

Topic sentence	While both poets suggest that pride and power lead to oppression, the subjects of the oppression are different in each poem.
Evidence and analysis	Ozymandias	My Last Duchess
	In Ozymandias, the statue is used as a symbol for all institutions or figures of power	In My Last Duchess, the Duchess is shown as the symbol of oppression – “then all smiles stopped”

Ozymandias and London

Comparison in a nutshell:

This is an effective comparative choice to explore the nature of political power. Both Shelley’s Ozymandias and Blake’s London show how nature will always be more powerful than humankind, and use setting to convey the nature of power and the power of nature

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems show that, despite human achievement and progress, nature will always be more powerful than humankind
Evidence and analysis	Ozymandias	London
	The statue in Ozymandias is a physical symbol of the power of mankind, and the poem shows it being consumed by nature	Blake’s London shows the attempts of humans to control nature, and the futility of this attempt
	Shelley emphasises the exceptional power of the natural world, which links to the Romantic idea of the sublime	Blake writes “near where the chartered Thames does flow”. He  juxtaposes “chartered” and “flow” emphasising how impossible it is for humans to ultimately dominate nature
		Despite being rigidly dominated (“chartered”), the Thames continues to “flow” naturally. It cannot be controlled
	Both poets reflect on power as something that creates a sense of  Entitlement  or arrogance, as a way to make those lacking in power suffer
	They also show that, ultimately, power and status are meaningless in the long term, as all power is equalized by death
	Both poets appear to want to show, via their depictions of people, how power in the wrong hands can be used for evil Therefore, both create a social commentary relating to  Hierarchical power structures and their inherent unfairness

 Differences:

Topic sentence	Whereas Shelley is warning against individual arrogance and pride, Blake is commenting on the state of all people who live in London, and the systems that create oppression
Evidence and analysis	Ozymandias	London
	Via the inscription on the pedestal, Ozymandias orders his people to “look on my work…and despair.”	Blake is commenting on the corrupt nature of politicians and organised societal structures in London, as he believes they cause great suffering to all
	The imperative “look on” shows the king’s arrogance and the verb “despair” suggests that once someone has seen what he has achieved, there is no option for them but to feel lost and defeated	However, Blake describes the people of London as living in “mind-forg’d  manacles . ” This suggests that the people who are suffering have created their own prisons in the minds
		“Manacles” has connotations of slavery and oppression, suggesting that Blake feels that London is oppressing its residents
	Blake uses repetition to reinforce the great suffering of all mankind in “In every cry of every man…”. “Man” is used as a collective noun to encompass all humanity

Ozymandias and The Prelude

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both Shelley’s Ozymandias and Wordsworth’s The Prelude highlight the sublime and overwhelming power of nature, and humankind’s inability to impact forces beyond its control

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems display nature as more powerful than mankind
Evidence and analysis	Ozymandias	The Prelude
	In Ozymandias, human power is shown as intrinsically weak and transient, lost to time and nature	Meanwhile, in The Prelude, failed attempts of mankind to overpower and manipulate a force beyond its control are displayed
	Similarly, both poems express this power of nature through the use of  Personification
	The theme of pride is key in both, it being the cause of the subjects’ eventual fall

Differences:

Topic sentence	While both poets explore how pride is unfounded because human power is inferior to the power of nature, they present this in different ways
Evidence and analysis	Ozymandias	The Prelude
	In Ozymandias, this power is conveyed through the symbolism of the desert and time	On the other hand, in The Prelude, the overwhelming power of nature leads to the speaker’s loss of eloquence and how he becomes unable to define his world
	There are also significant differences in form and structure, with Ozymandias being a sonnet and The Prelude an epic poem