Question

Explain: the hand that mocked then, and the heart feed

Answer 1

The poet Percy B. Shelly refers to the hand of the sculptor and the heart of King Ozymandias. By "the hand that mocked them' the poet refers to the sculptor's hand that has mocked or mimicked the feelings in King Ozymandias' heart and carved them on to stone so perfectly. By 'the heart that fed' the poet refers to Ozymandias heart that has fed or provided the statue with the emotions that the sculptor has depicted.

Answer 2

Heya friend,

Here we go :-

The poet Percy Bysshe Shelley clearly portrays the character of  the sculptor and the king, in his poem 'Ozymandias' ideally. In the line "The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed" , the poet by using a synechdoche here, clearly tells us that the poet was able to sculpt down the apt emotions of the king on the sculpture, the hand is signified to symbolize both the hand of the sculptor and the king who was mocking other kings by his hand. The line following it also symbolizes both the heart of the sculptor, which enabled him to make such a sculpture etched to perfection and the heart of the mighty and boastful king whose heart and emotions were clearly expressed on his gesture.

Note - Synechdoche is a literary device that has been used in the poem. It is used to symbolise one thing as a whole or the opposite. Here, the 'hand' and the 'heart' are both used to signify the king and the sculptor.

Besides this, enjambment has also been used in the poem 'Ozymandias' .

Thanks,

Manav