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Why does Ozymandias say Look on my works ye mighty and despair?
His fate is not unlike Ozymandias'. When Ozymandias orders "Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!" he meant to cause his rivals despair over his incredible power, but he may have only caused them despair when they realized their ignominious end was as inevitable as his.
What does Ozymandias say about the King’s statue?
Shelley’s poem “Ozymandias” famously describes a ruined statue of an ancient king in an empty desert. Although the king’s statue boastfully commands onlookers to “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair,” there are no works left to examine: the king’s cities, empire, and power have all disappeared over time.
What video game has Ozymandias on the pedestal?
In the 2005 video game Civilization IV, when construction technology is researched the quote, "And on the pedestal these words appear: 'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!' Nothing beside remains." from Shelley's poem is displayed and voiced by Leonard Nimoy.
What is the famous line of the poem Ozymandias?
With its heavy irony and iconic line, "Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!" "Ozymandias" is one of the most famous poems of the Romantic era. It was written by Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1817 and eventually became his most famous work.
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Who were ye mighty in the poem Ozymandias?
The Egyptian king Ramesses was known as Ozymandias, and his throne name was Ozymandias. His foolish desire to immortalise himself by erecting a statue is addressed in the poem. The king's fellow kings who believe themselves to be mighty and powerful are referred to as 'Ye Mighty. '
What does ye mighty meaning in Ozymandias?
When Ozymandias orders "Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!" he meant to cause his rivals despair over his incredible power, but he may have only caused them despair when they realized their ignominious end was as inevitable as his.
What does my name is Ozymandias king of kings :/ Look on my works ye mighty and despair mean?
The declaration 'Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair! ' is supposed to be triumphant, and originally was: when the statue was first built, people gazing at it were meant to look at the empire built by Rameses and be cowed into submission by its vastness and power.
Who said Look on my works ye mighty and despair?
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
What is the meaning of ye mighty?
"Look on my works ye mighty and despair." What does this line from "Ozymandias" mean? This line from "Ozymandias" was meant to convey Ozymandias's awesome power and is a boastful message to other rulers, who will witness his impressive statue and despair at the sight of his greatness.
What is the irony of Ozymandias statement Look on my works ye mighty and despair?
The irony in the poem lies in the fact that the mighty ruler had the following words engraved on his statue "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings; Look upon my works ye Mighty and despair!" These words conveyed he was so powerful that no other king could surpass him.
Why should the mighty despair in Ozymandias?
Ozymandias is referring to the other kings who will reign after him. They should despair because they can never outshine him.
What does the quote My name is Ozymandias king of kings suggest?
Ozymandias calls himself 'king of kings' - a phrase taken from Biblical language - which smacks somewhat of arrogant pride. It could imply that his subsequent obscurity was a punishment from God - a subject that Shelley considered in several of his other poems.
Who is the speaker in Ozymandias?
The poem's primary speaker is anonymous and genderless, and all Shelley tells us about them is that they "met a traveller from an antique land." The poem pointedly does not include details about what this speaker thinks about the traveller, about Ozymandias, or about the destruction of Ozymandias's works.
What is the real name of Ozymandias?
Adrian Alexander VeidtOzymandias (/ˌɒziˈmændiəs/ oz-ee-MAN-dee-əs; real name Adrian Alexander Veidt) is a fictional anti-villain in the graphic novel limited series Watchmen, published by DC Comics.
What is the most important line in Ozymandias?
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!' Nothing beside remains. The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
What is the main theme of the poem Ozymandias?
The theme of 'Ozymandias' is clear and vivid. It conveys that human emotions of haughtiness pride and arrogance do not assure immortality and durability against all powerful time and nature. The poem highlights the vanity of human glory and power.
What does Ozymandias say about the King of Kings?
It is basically a boast; Ozymandias says to the viewer, I am more powerful, greater, and have accomplished more than you have or ever will. In fact, in styling himself the “King of Kings,” Ozymandias lays claim to the title of ruler of all rulers, most powerful of the most powerful; he declares that he is the mightiest king of all.
What does the line from Ozymandias mean?
What does this line from "Ozymandias" mean? This line from "Ozymandias" was meant to convey Ozymandias's awesome power and is a boastful message to other rulers, who will witness his impressive statue and despair at the sight of his greatness. Given the current ruined condition of the decaying statue, the message takes on another meaning.
What is the meaning of the line on the pedestal of the statue of Ozymandias?
This bold, audacious line is written on the pedestal of Ozymandias's statue and was meant to convey the king's omnipotence, intimidate other powerful rulers, and praise his notable accomplishments. However, the natural elements of the desert and time have taken a toll on the statue, which is nothing more than a "shattered visage" and "trunkless legs of stone" buried in the sand. Ozymandias's grand statue is nothing more than a "colossal wreck" lost in the desert, which makes the boastful message inscribed on the pedestal hollow and empty.
What is the meaning of the line on the pedestal of Ozymandias' statue?
This bold, audacious line is written on the pedestal of Ozymandias's statue and was meant to convey the king's omnipotence, intimidate other powerful rulers, and praise his notable accomplishments. However, the natural elements of the desert and time have taken a toll on the statue, which is nothing more than a "shattered visage" ...
What does the King say in line 11?
As you can see, the words the king says in line 11 are ambiguous: that is, we can interpret them in two different ways, both of which are valid. The poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley, most likely rendered this line ambiguous on purpose. It makes the poem intriguing. It makes the reader think, "Wait—I’m sure the great king, the one who called himself 'king of kings' (line 10) just meant to boast and brag when he talked about his works, and he made sure that the sculptor carved those boastful words into his statue…but now, so much time has gone by that his words have a completely different meaning. A meaning that the king didn’t intend at all! That's ironic."
Where is the line in Ozymandias?
The line we’re talking about appears in the poem "Ozymandias," specifically near the end, at the climax (the most exciting part).
What does "look at how all of my great accomplishments have crumbled away into nothingness" mean?
The subtle, ironic meaning is: "Look at how all of my great accomplishments have crumbled away into nothingness, and feel sad and hopeless, because even if you’re mighty, the same thing will happen to you after you’ve died!".
Who wrote Ozymandias?
Ozymandias (Shelley) " Ozymandias " ( / ˌɒziˈmændiəs / oz-ee-MAN-dee-əs) is a sonnet written by the English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822). It was first published in the 11 January 1818 issue of The Examiner of London. The poem was included the following year in Shelley's collection Rosalind and Helen, ...
Where did the poem Ozymandias come from?
In antiquity, Ozymandias ( Ὀσυμανδύας) was a Greek name for the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II . Shelley began writing his poem in 1817, soon after the British Museum 's announcement that they had acquired a large fragment of a statue ...
What is the name of the poem that Shelley wrote?
Shelley typically published his works anonymously or using a pseudonym. He published the poem under the name "Glirastes," created by combining the Latin glīs (genitive glīris ), meaning " dormouse ", with the Greek suffix ἐραστής ( erastēs, "lover").
What are the themes of the Ozymandias poem?
Two themes of the "Ozymandias" poems are the inevitable decline of rulers and their pretensions to greatness. The name "Ozymandias" is a rendering in Greek of part of Ramesses II's throne name, User-maat-re Step-en-re .
When was Ozymandias by Shelley published?
A fair copy draft (c. 1817) of Shelley's "Ozymandias" in the collection of Oxford's Bodleian Library. 1817 draft by Percy Bysshe Shelley, Bodleian Library. Shelley's poem was published on 11 January 1818 under the pen name "Glirastes". It appeared on page 24 in the yearly collection, under Original Poetry.
What episode of Breaking Bad is Ozymandias?
In the AMC drama Breaking Bad, the 14th episode of season 5 is titled " Ozymandias .". The episode's title alludes to the collapse of protagonist Walter White's drug empire. A reading of the poem by Bryan Cranston was used in promotional materials prior to the season five premiere.
What is the superhero name in Watchmen?
In the graphic novel Watchmen, as well as in its film and television adaptations, "Ozymandias" is the superhero alias of Adrian Veidt. The name can be understood as a reference to Veidt's hubris, as well as to the fact that in the graphic novel, Veidt goes to great lengths to establish world peace, only for the ending to indicate that this peace is fleeting and will collapse in the end.
What rhyme scheme does Ozymandias follow?
Contrary to many other sonnets though, "Ozymandias" has an unusual rhyming scheme, following the pattern ABABA CDCEDEFE. Most sonnets follow the rhyme scheme ABBAABBA and CDECDE or CDCDCD.
How Was "Ozymandias" Created?
There are actually two Ozymandias poems, and they were written as part of a friendly writing competition. The poet Horace Smith spent the end of 1817 with Percy Shelley and his wife Mary Shelley (the author of Frankenstein ). During this time, Percy Shelley and Smith challenged each other to a poetry competition. The Shelleys moved in literary circles, and they and their friends would often challenge each other to writing competitions, so this wasn't anything out of the ordinary.
What Poetic Devices Does "Ozymandias" Include?
A poetic device is a linguistic tool that a poet can use to help convey their message, as well as make the poem more interesting to read or hear. In this section we discuss the key poetic devices in the Ozymandias poem.
What does the poem "Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair" mean?
Although the poem only discusses Ozymandias, it implies that all rulers, dynasties, and political regimes will eventually crumble as well, as nothing can withstand time forever. At the time the poem was written, Napoleon had recently fallen from power and was living in exile, after years of ruling and invading much of Europe. His fate is not unlike Ozymandias'. When Ozymandias orders "Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!" he meant to cause his rivals despair over his incredible power, but he may have only caused them despair when they realized their ignominious end was as inevitable as his.
What message was Shelley trying to convey with the poem Ozymandias?
What message was Shelley trying to convey with the poem Ozymandias? The major theme behind "Ozymandias" is that all power is temporary, no matter how prideful or tyrannical a ruler is.
What is the alliteration of "Ozymandias"?
Alliteration is the repetition of a sound or letter at the beginning of multiple words in a sentence or paragraph. There are several instances of alliteration in "Ozymandias" including the phrases "cold command" and " boundless and bare."
How many lines are in the poem Ozymandias?
"Ozymandias" is a sonnet, which is a type of poetic structure. All sonnets, including "Ozymandias" are fourteen lines long and written in iambic pentameter. The iambic pentameter sounds more natural than many other rhythms, but it still has a purposeful enough rhythm to easily differentiate it from normal speech (even in the 1800s no one would naturally speak the way "Ozymandias" was written).
Why is Ozymandias so memorable?
The reason he did this may have been to represent the corruption of authority. To start, Ozymandias carries an extended metaphor throughout the entire poem.
Who wrote Ozymandias?
Here is an analysis of ‘Ozymandias’, a poem written by one of the greatest Romantic poets in history, Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley never achieved fame while he was alive, but he did keep company with some extremely talented writers: his good friends included George Gordon Lord Byron and John Keats, and he was married to Mary Shelley, ...
Where did the name Ozymandias come from?
Ozymandias is the Greek name of a pharaoh from Ancient Egypt. He is Ramesses II or Ramesses the Great. The name Ozymandias comes from the first part of the regnal name of Ramesses, “Usermaatre Setepenre”. Shelley’s sonnet refers to a half-destroyed statue of this pharaoh.
What is the meaning of Ozymandias?
Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley. ‘Ozymandias’ is about the nature of power. It is an important piece that features how a great ruler like Ozymandias and his legacy was buried in the pages of history. Here is an analysis of ‘Ozymandias’, a poem written by one of the greatest Romantic poets in history, Percy Bysshe Shelley.
What does the desert represent in Ozymandias?
The statue, however, still boasts of the accomplishments this civilization had in the past. The desert represents the fall of all empires —nothing powerful and rich can ever stay that strong forever. This metaphor is made even more commanding in the poem by Shelley’s use of an actual ruler—Shelley utilizes an allusion to a powerful ruler in ancient Egypt to show that even someone so all-powerful will eventually fall.
How many lines are there in Ozymandias?
‘Ozymandias’ is considered to be a Petrarchan sonnet, even though the rhyme scheme varies slightly from the traditional form. As all sonnets are, this poem contains fourteen lines and is written in iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme of ‘Ozymandias’ is ababacdcedefef. This rhyme scheme differs from the rhyme scheme of a traditional Petrarchan sonnet, whose octave (the first eight lines of the poem) usually has a rhyme scheme of abbaabba; its sestet (the final six lines of the sonnet) does not have an assigned rhyme scheme, but it usually rhymes every other line, or contains three different rhymes. Shelley’s defiance of this rhyme scheme helps to set apart ‘Ozymandias’ from other Petrarchan sonnets, and it is perhaps why this poem is so memorable. The reason he did this may have been to represent the corruption of authority.
What does Shelley use in the poem?
This metaphor is made even more commanding in the poem by Shelley’s use of an actual ruler—Shelley utilizes an allusion to a powerful ruler in ancient Egypt to show that even someone so all-powerful will eventually fall.
What is the meaning of the title of Ozymandias?
The title of “Ozymandias” refers to an alternate name of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II. In “Ozymandias,” Shelley describes a crumbling statue of Ozymandias as a way to portray the transience of political power and to praise art’s power of preserving the past. Although the poem is a 14-line sonnet, it breaks from ...
What is the speaker's use of the example of Ozymandias?
The speaker also uses the specific example of Ozymandias to make a broader pronouncement about the ephemeral nature of power and, in turn, to implicitly critique tyranny. The speaker evokes the image of a cruel leader; Ozymandias wears a “frown” along with the “sneer of cold command.".
What does Shelley tell us about the speaker of the poem?
The poem's primary speaker is anonymous and genderless, and all Shelley tells us about them is that they "met a traveller from an antique land.". The poem pointedly does not include details about what this speaker thinks about the traveller, about Ozymandias, or about the destruction of Ozymandias's works.
What is the introduction to Ozymandias?
British Library's "Introduction to Ozymandias" — The British Library has a short introduction to "Ozymandias" that includes excerpts of potential sources for the poem, historical information about Ramses II (Ozymandias), as well as details about Shelley's radical politics.
How many legs does Ozymandias have?
Only two upright legs, a face, and a pedestal remain of Ozymandias’s original statue, and even these individual parts of the statue are not in great shape: the face, for instance, is “shattered.". Clearly, time hasn’t been kind to this statue, whose pitiful state undercuts the bold assertion of its inscription.
When was the Ozymandias draft transcribed?
Draft of "Ozymandias" — The Bodleian Library at Oxford University digitized and transcribed an early draft of "Ozymandias" from 1817 and made it available online.
Who wrote the poem "Ozymandias"?
Ask a question. Ask a question. Ask a question. “Ozymandias” is a sonnet written by the English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley wrote “Ozymandias” in 1817 as part of a poetry contest with a friend, and had it published in The Examiner in 1818 under the pen name Glirastes. The title of “Ozymandias” refers to an alternate name ...
