Ozymandias: A Study
Written by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Essay by Sanger Rainsford
Setting in Ozymandias
The setting of Ozymandias is a desolate wasteland
Deserts represent the sands of time and the expanse of time
before and after Ozymandias.
The Egyptian desert is used because of both its monuments and
the fact that it is an antique land = a mysterious setting
A desert is lifeless, showing that nothing really lasts forever.
Imagery in Ozymandias
Imagery used most when describing the king’s statue
“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand alone in
the desert.”
Statue is trunkless= missing midsection and heart
Poem includes hand, face, and legs.
Ozymandias looks complete/passionate and driven
Although he has strong character, he has no
compassion
Shattered face = powerful but not intelligent=
forgettable
“Half-sunk, a shattered visage lies…”
The shattered
face is
important
because it
shows
Ozymandias’
lack of
character.
Why Ozymandias is Still Relevant
Ozymandias is a poem that warns against pride
Pride= refusal to accept that you will be forgotten
Time is unstoppable and does not discriminate
Fame= temporary for people who are not
genuinely special
Fame= long-lasting for people with real gifts to
humanity
“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert.”
This is a picture of two
legs in Amarillo, Texas
Legs constructed to honor
Shelley’s poem
Legs important to story
because they prove the
existence of Ozymandias
Also represent the loss of
midsection/heart