the poem ozymandias illustrates the vanity of human greatness -comment
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Ozymandias by PB Shelley is a sonnet describing the remnants of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II. The speaker describes a meeting with someone who has travelled to a place where ancient civilisations once existed. We know from the title that he is talking about Egypt. The traveller told the speaker a story about an old, fragmented status in the middle of the desert. The statue is broken apart but you can still make out the face of a person. The face looks stern and powerful like a ruler. The sculptor did a good job at expressing the ruler's personality and his disdain for others.
On the pedestal near the face, the traveller reads an inscription in which the rules Ozymandias tells anyone who might happen to pass by, "Look around and see how mighty I am!" But there is no evidence of this strength in the vicinity of his giant, broken statue. There is just a lot of sand, as far as the eyes can see. The trailer ends his story. The narrator recalls his encounter with "...a traveller from an antique land..."
The word 'antique' foreshadows future events in which the traveller depicts the ancient period of Ozymandias' rule. The traveller describes the scene of the ruin in lines 2-3. "Two vast and trunk less legs of stone stand on the desert." while the the state's "...half sunk...shattered visage" lay nearby. This portrays a mood of forgotten decay. The traveller uses negative connotations to describe the statue if Ozymandias - trunk less, sunk and shattered to convey his mood. The narrator comments that this statue was once a symbol of pride and greatness, but now, it is no more than broken stone.
The narrator, then, goes on to describe the features of the statue's face whose "frown and wrinkled lips" gave the impression that the subject was cold, unforgiving man. The traveller compliments the sculptor on his first work, "...its sculptor well those passions read..." The sculptor commended for capturing the essence of Ozymandias' personality in his work. The subject of the statue was a man, who sneered upon those weaker than him. Ironically the sculptor's hand "mocked him". However, his 'passions' have long become 'lifeless' and he himself lies forgotten.
In the second line of the sextet, the traveller te all the engraving on the statue. "My name is Ozymandias, the king of Kings. Look on my work, ye Mighty, and despair!" These two lines give the statue an identity and show the reader of the King's pride. It is the climax of the poem, emphasised by the exclamation mark. He considers himself "King of kings". "Mighty" begins with a capital 'M' to give the impression that Ozymandias considers himself ti be in the same rank as the gods. He demands reverence from the gods.
The last 3 lines of the poem communicate a melancholy tone, which contrasts sharply with the King's speech previously. Ozymandias now stands amongst his work "boundless and bare". There is irony in that Ozymandias felt that all shall "despair" in the face of his "work" that has tuned to dust. "Nothing more remains"
King Ozymandias considered himself to be the king of kings. He ruled over his empire with a firm hand. He ruled his subjects and regarded them as inferior. He was arrogant and highly conceited, and believed that no one would ever be able to equal his achievements.
He was so intoxicated with power that the welfare of his people was never his consideration. He believed himself to be above law and destiny.
But now his shattered statue, half buried in sand, with the waste and ruins around it proves that the time has leveled his fame and work. The ruins around the statue bear the testimony to the fact that nothing lasts forever.
This is the true destiny of man. He is insignificant before the power of time. The poem illustrates the vanity of human greatness. It depicts, that one must command respect and not demand it. One must never misuse power and might.
Glorious deeds should be committed to get respect from posterity. Real power lies in winning the hearts and not in ruling the weak and needy.