Ozymandias
Jason PerinbamShare
Struggling to analyse Ozymandias for the Power and Conflict Poetry anthology? This guide breaks down how Shelley explores the themes of power, pride, and legacy—and why this poem still hits hard centuries later. Want full notes, 50+ top quotes, and Grade 9 model essays? Grab our Power & Conflict Poetry Cheat Sheet—available now on the Products Page!
Why Is Ozymandias So Important?
Percy Bysshe Shelley uses Ozymandias to expose the fragility of human power. At first, it seems like a poem about an ancient statue—but it’s really a warning to all rulers, past and present:
- No matter how powerful you think you are, time will erase your legacy.
Inspired by the remains of a statue of Pharaoh Ramses II, Shelley uses irony and imagery to show that power is temporary, and even “great” empires crumble in the end.
What’s Shelley’s Message?
Shelley—a Romantic poet and political radical—wrote Ozymandias to challenge the arrogance of leaders who believed their power was permanent. He critiques:
- Tyranny – Rulers who dominate through fear
- Hubris – Excessive pride or self-belief
- Impermanence – Nothing lasts forever—not even monuments
It’s a poem about the decay of power, and how art outlasts empires.
Who Was Ozymandias?
Ozymandias is another name for Pharaoh Ramses II—one of Ancient Egypt’s most powerful rulers. His ruined statue, discovered in the desert, becomes a symbol of how time erodes all greatness.
Shelley never directly condemns Ozymandias. Instead, he lets the broken statue speak for itself, using:
- Dramatic irony (his words vs. the reality of ruin)
- Imagery of decay
- A mysterious narrative voice (we hear the story second-hand)
High-Level Vocabulary to Use in Your Essays
- Hubristic – Excessively proud or arrogant
- Transience – The state of lasting only a short time
- Ironic – Opposite of what is expected (e.g. “despair” becomes mockery)
- Impermanence – Not lasting forever
- Authorial intent – Shelley’s reason for writing (e.g. political criticism)
- Power dynamic – The relationship between dominance and submission
- Decay imagery – Visual symbols of destruction or collapse
- Timelessness – The idea that time outlives all human effort
3 Key Quotes + Analysis
1. “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
- Analysis: Ozymandias commands future rulers to admire his greatness—but Shelley flips this with irony. The “works” are gone. The “despair” isn’t awe—it’s a realisation that nothing lasts. Power is illusory.
2. “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone / Stand in the desert...”
- Analysis: The fragmented imagery of the broken statue shows the destruction of once-mighty power. The “desert” represents time, which erases human achievements.
3. “The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
- Analysis: The vast, empty landscape outlasts the statue, showing that nature and time are more powerful than man-made empires. The alliteration of “lone and level” emphasises the emptiness.
Want Full Notes, Grade 9 Essays & More Quotes?
This is just one part of our Power and Conflict Poetry Cheat Sheet, which includes:
✅ Full poem breakdowns for Ozymandias, Kamikaze, My Last Duchess, and more
✅ Side-by-side comparisons (e.g. Ozymandias vs My Last Duchess)
✅ Grade 9 model answers with examiner-style annotations
✅ 50+ high-level quotes with advanced analysis
✅ Context, structure, and language tips for every poem
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