Introduction
Ozymandias is a poem written by the renowned English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, popularly known as P. B. Shelley, towards the end of 1817. Ozymandias was the Greek name for the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II (or Ramses II), who ruled major parts of Egypt for 66 years and was celebrated as Ramesses the Great for years later. Here, let’s see the Main Theme of the Poem Ozymandias.
It is said that the poem is based on the king, and Ozymandias eventually became one of Shelley’s most famous works in the Romantic era. It talks about the temporary nature of things in this world that one considers most important – fame, wealth, and power, against tougher forces.
Written as a sonnet, a short poem of fourteen lines in the form of an octave and a sestet, the poem has a distinct rhyme scheme that adds to the overall reading experience. The in-depth message and intellect in this poem are to be lauded beyond words, for Shelley has conveyed it so efficiently through his work.
Ozymandias: The Poem
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,
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.”
Summary
The poet narrates his rendezvous with a traveler who has returned from a historic place. The traveler talks about what he’s seen in the land and shares the sight. He describes a massive statue, presently in a dilapidated condition, with two trunkless legs and a shattered face that is half-embedded within the sands as the only remnants left behind by time, to tell the tale of the then mighty structure.
The descriptions of the facial features give an insight to the reader about the sculpture’s persona. This indirectly describes that the statue belonged to a cruel and unkind person, who was also in power at the time.
The tourist also appreciates the skilled sculptor who managed to etch the facial expressions aptly while installing the statue. He feels the sculptor was able to read the emotions on the face of the authoritarian figure and replicate them well. It is indeed the art and talent of the sculptor that has withstood the effect of time, still intact beyond the wear and tear, and seasonal changes, and not the statue or its owner who considered himself to be eternal and mighty.
He applies a synecdoche stating the hands of the sculptor mocked the facial expressions as he manages to depict them closely in the spiteful statue, with the emotions that were fed by the heart of the tyrant. From the next line (9), the reader can confirm that the statue belongs to Ozymandias, from the words inscribed on the pedestal.
As mentioned earlier, this could refer to the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II. Shelley possibly drew inspiration from the discovery of the remains of the pharaoh’s statue that were discovered earlier that year, and the influence of the Greek historian, Diodorus Siculus’ works on Egypt, to pen this masterpiece. It is also said that the ‘traveler from an antique land’ mentioned in the first line of the poem refers to Diodorus.
The pedestal below the figurine proclaims itself to be the ‘King of Kings’, showing the self-esteem and ego that Ozymandias carries in himself. It summons the spectators to look at his prestigious works and lose the hope of overpowering him. This is aimed at his subjects as well as his opponents, whom he intends to cause despair with his haughty and arrogant establishment of power.
But the astounding irony lies in the fact that there is absolutely nothing to look upon and be awestruck but stretches of sands as far as the eyes can see, surrounding the remains of the statue. This is an important lesson to be learned, mainly because it reminds every single person that fame and glory will never last forever.
Even the most powerful will be brought down, either during their lifetime or after death, and their names will be forgotten over time. This applies to all political regimes, governments, and authorities for one day it will crumble down to pieces and dust without doubt, with the power of time.
Exploring the Themes in the Poem
Although the main theme is how nothing can withstand the power of time, it is not fair to consider only that aspect of the poem. This work of Shelley explores numerous philosophies and thoughts which all have a place as themes of the poem.
The Ever-transforming Nature of Life and the Power of Nature
At any given period of history, one can notice that what was well-established once, later fell to its ruins and vice versa. The reign of Ozymandias (and his colossal statue) was once a symbol of power and might. But things changed, and what remains centuries after is only a colossal wreck of his empire (and his humongous sculpture).
The landscape, the setting, and the monotony all convey the actions of nature in making a once-thriving kingdom to demolished and uninhabited emptiness. Thus is the nature of life, ever-changing and evolving as time passes.
No person has the power to control it but only goes with the flow of what’s to come. To accept that nature is the most supreme of powers, and nothing can withstand it without being tarnished is a bitter pill to be swallowed.
The Flamboyance of Fame and Fortune
All the efforts a person puts in to achieve fame and glory in this world to leave an everlasting impression is useless. Ozymandias takes immense glee and haughtiness to show the fortune and the control he has over his kingdom and even takes an extra attempt to etch his glory in time by erecting a massive statue with a boastful pedestal beneath.
Yet, what was discovered later with time was just ruins of the statue surrounded by stretches of sands. The utter irony of what the pedestal states, ‘Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair and the reality where there is nothing to look around except a land of deserts with no habitation, is the perfect paradigm of what happens if someone runs behind fame over generosity.
Likewise, one can infer from the description of the shattered visage that the king held a frown and wrinkled lips with a sneer of cold command, which indicates that the ruler was not happy, but was dissatisfied with something despite having so much wealth, glory and power.
This is a hint at another misconception in the society which projects the idea that more wealth equals more joy. Whereas, real happiness lies in making others happy and being a source of contentment, which is not displayed by the ruler here. This applies to people of all times and ages, which is why this poem is enjoyed and read even today.
The Eternity of Art
As brilliantly as one can express, Shelley arguably states that although power and the people clinging on to it for fame and respect may die over time, it is the art that survives them all.
This can be noticed when the poet holds the sculptor who managed to etch the features of Ozymandias in high regard, stating his skill to replicate the emotions to the stone sculpture. It is the remains of this statue, although shattered, that prove evidence of the mere existence of a ruler who was mighty and proud, once upon a time.
This ideal can also be applied to Shelley’s poem, a work of thought and art, that continues to last beyond centuries, making a reader of the future learn the mental process of the past, a celebrated poet of the Romantic era.
Usage of Poetic Devices
For a poem of fourteen lines, Ozymandias is rich in poetic devices. These are linguistic tools that aid in conveying thought to the reader and make the text interesting to read and comprehend. Some of them include:
Alliteration
It is the repetition of consonant sounds or letters at the beginning of many words in the same sentence or paragraph. This tool adds to the spoken or listening rhythm of a poem, making it pleasant and soothing to listen to.
Some phrases showing alliteration in Ozymandias include, ‘cold command’, ‘boundless and bare’, and ‘lone and level sands stretch far away.
Rhyme Scheme
This poem, unlike other sonnets, has an unusual rhyme scheme of the pattern, ABABA CDC EDE FDF. The rhymes aren’t prominent or memorable, adding to the theme that such things will often be forgotten.
Assonance
Contrary to alliteration, assonance is the repetition of vowels or sounds in words close enough in a line or a paragraph but the function is similar to that of alliteration.
This can be noticed in the phrases, ‘an antique land’, ‘half sunk a shattered visage lies, and in other places where the short ’a’ sound repeats often.
Irony
The usage of words or intonation to convey something but means the opposite is called irony. It is a tricky yet clever usage of words to show meaning to a context. In this poem, the statue of Ozymandias is itself an irony.
The very structure established to show the power of the king is in ruins against the power of time. A measure is taken to show his might and boast about him presently refers to him being forgotten. This itself is the biggest irony the poem conveys.
Enjambment
The continuation of a sentence beyond an expected line break or pause is called enjambment. This is a tool used to build tension and interest in the poem.
The continuation shows unrest and adds to the heat of the poem, creating curiosity and eagerness to read further, to know what happens next. Many lines in the poem carry this tool, adding further interest for the reader and the listener.
Conclusion
This poem, a work of Shelley rich in numerous poetic devices and ironies, is a means to connect the reader to how everything ends up in ruin against the might of time, which even a reign of pride cannot withstand, the only exception being the accomplishments of mind and the talents in art.
