Question

Explain with reference to the context:
(a) 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
​

Answer 1

Answer:

The face ('visage') lies on the sand, 'half-sunk' and 'shattered', making it hard to recognise. According to the inscription, which has survived, the king Ozymandias set up the statue to draw attention to his 'works' - but his own face has not survived, let alone the empire he may have once ruled.

Explanation:

Ozymandias' power is presented as being dictatorial and cruel- this is clear in the description of his statue's facial expression- “sneer of cold command” and implied through the inscription which appears on the statue's pedestal: “king of kings: Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!” in which Ozymandias ...