Ozymandias’ Powerful Message

The haunting image of a massive broken statue in an antique land clearly depicts the self-deluding hubris of mankind in Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem, “Ozymandias.” This wondrous poetic masterpiece addresses some of life’s essential truths: that the works of man are temporal, and his life is fleeting. Shelley uses literary devices such as irony, symbolism, and imagery to portray this powerful theme.

Ozymandias Irony: Vanity of Man’s Attempts

The desire of man to do something, build something, and be something that endures through posterity is one shared by humanity across the globe.

Part of the allure of Shelley’s sonnet, “Ozymandias,” is the way it addresses this yearning. Dripping with irony, the poem teaches that man’s attempts are nothing but vanity, the wreckage of toppled dreams and broken empires. Shelley uses capitalization to emphasize this irony. By capitalizing both Works and Mighty, it captures the reader’s attention, subtly connecting these words together and having them stand out within the line, “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” Furthermore, the use of capitalization highlights the intended irony when two lines later, the poem declares the ‘Works’ to be a Wreck, “Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare.”

Another example of Shelley’s command of irony is his use of opposites. For example, he pairs stones with sand. Stone is often associated with the idea of ‘time without end.’ After all, the study of geology would be useless without centuries of life depicted in the strata of stone. In “Ozymandias,” the stone represents the long-lasting kingdom that the ‘king of kings’ was supposed to rule over, as we see in line two when it says, “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone.” In opposition, desert sand is blown and buffeted, it is shifting and changing thus representing the true temporal nature of man and his kingdoms. The trunkless stone legs of Ozymandias, “Stand in the desert,” ironically sinking in the sand. Shelley, however, uses more than irony to convey his theme; he reinforces it with impressive symbolism.

Symbolism in “Ozymandias”

Almost every line of this poem contains a symbol. As a literary critic, K.N. Sharma explains: The humility of the traveler who quietly makes a piercing satire on the so-called “great” emperor is memorable in the poem… because it has a concrete surface and also a depth of symbolic meaning. Symbolically, it represents the vanity of human pride, possession, and power.

Symbolic meaning can be found behind the legs of the statue. In ancient times the feet and legs represented dominion and ownership. The broken legs of the statue, therefore, may represent the broken dominance of the king it was sculpted to depict. The “visage,” or face of the statue, portrays the personhood of Ozymandias. The reader feels like she has met the long-dead king even though his visage has been shattered. The shattered face symbolizes the destruction of the man Ozymandias himself. The fact that this visage is “Half sunk” into the desert is also symbolic. The desert represents time as it corrodes, shifts, and levels everything into dust, as is revealed in the final line of the poem, “The lone and level sands stretch far away.” In like manner, time stretches on before us like the infinite desert horizon. The sand has a similar symbolic meaning. It represents death. Reading the poem, one can almost hear the age-old burial rites being spoken, “ashes to ashes and dust to dust.” These symbols emphasize the poem’s theme concerning man’s mortality and the failure of his humanistic ambitions. The theme is reinforced further by engaging imagery.

Vivid Imagery in Shelley’s Creation

Shelley demonstrates a total command of the use of imagery throughout, and for such a short sonnet, “Ozymandias” is surprisingly full of imagery. A great example of this is the words, “Half sunk,” which imply that death has had its way with the one-time ruler and time has consumed even the firm and enduring rock. Lines 4 and 5 tell of the ruler’s passions that have been captured by the sculptor, such as the “frown,” “wrinkled lip,” “sneer,” and “cold command,” all of which evoke distinct images of the tyrant. The words “Shattered visage” give the impression that the so-called king of kings’ identity has been broken. The word “boundless” suggests a never-ending sea of sand. The reader can almost see the great king stripped naked before the real power of time through Shelley’s use of the word “bare.” Together, in line 13, “boundless and bare,” create the image of a forever shamed man. Finally, the “lone and level sands” in the final line of the poem invoke the image of a vast and empty landscape, emphasizing the equalizing power of death and unending time.

The Enduring Message of Ozymandias

“Ozymandias” was first published in 1818, and its potency has not diminished over time. As literary critic Stephen Walters comments: Shelley’s poem has made Ozymandias an emblem of self-deluding hubris, the ambition to be remembered favorably by posterity, and the refusal to acknowledge time’s destruction of human achievement. Yet ‘Ozymandias’ would not have entranced its readers for two centuries if it were only about hubris and punishment. Shelley’s Ozymandias was a braggart, but the enormous fragments of his statue assure us that the achievements he vaunts were real—a city, perhaps a whole civilization, once stood here, even if time and the elements have destroyed it.

Perhaps the poem endures as a literary favorite because it addresses some of life’s essential truths. Ozymandias, no matter how proud, no matter how domineering, shared the fate of all men. For man’s life on earth is fleeting, and it passes by like dust on the wind. These themes resonate deeply with readers because they touch on the universal human experience of facing mortality and the impermanence of our achievements.

A more effective conclusion for this essay would tie together the insights gained from the literary analysis of "Ozymandias" while avoiding a shift into religious discourse. Instead, we can acknowledge that while human endeavors are inherently temporary, they are nonetheless significant in the tapestry of human history. Shelley’s poem serves as a reminder to embrace humility and recognize the transient nature of power and legacy. In doing so, we are encouraged to find meaning not in the permanence of our creations but in the impact they have on those who come after us.

In conclusion, "Ozymandias" is a sonnet full of irony, packed with powerful symbolism and engaging imagery. Shelley uses these literary devices to convey essential truths about life. The poem reveals that man’s life is fleeting and his work on earth is temporary. Yet, within that transience lies an opportunity to reflect on the nature of legacy and the humility required to acknowledge that all human achievements are ultimately at the mercy of time. While the sands of time may cover the physical remnants of our existence, the influence of our actions and ideas can endure in the stories and lives we touch.

Did you like this example?

318

13