ANALISYS OF OZYMANDIAS BY P.B.SHELLY

Ozymandias is a Petrarchan sonnet which is formed by an octave and sestet.

The poem begins with an introduction by the speaking voice that presents the image of the traveler.

The traveller's story develops through out whole poem line 2 to line 14he reports what he saw in the desert , that is the remains of an ancient monument portraying Ozymandias , Ramses II of Egypt.

He says that he saw first 2 legs of stone and a shattered face half hidden by the sand. The expression of "cold command" ,which was well known to the sculptor ,was still present in those "lifeless thing".

An observer could still detect the hand that had built it and the heart that had fed that passion.

Then he quotes what was written on the pedestal: Ozymandias defines himself king of kings and he invites other mighty people to admire his works because nothing will remain but his work.

The decaying works of other kings will be covered with sand and will be forgotten.

The poet uses words that refer to the ancient word. Antique is an arcaic term that derives from Latin antiquus meaning ancient;

Vast is another example of a Latin term used by the poet to lead the reader into the ancient world. It is interesting to observe that the Latin word vastus means "deserted". We can infer that the poet plays on the word "vast" which has the meaning of "immense" and "deserted" at the same time.

All the parts of the body are characterized by a striking image of decay and power: the legs are huge but trunkless. The face has got an expression of cold command but it is damaged and half sunk in the sand. The same contrast can be perceived in the just opposition between the passion shown by the king and captured by the sculpture in his monument on the one hand and the decay of things that can be seen in the lifeless remains on the other hand. The passion is a symbol of life while the ruins of the monument symbolize the death of all human beings.

The inscription on the pedestal summarizes  the irony that connotes the whole poem. The irony is used by the poet because he wants to mock the mighty people who believe to be immortal. The authority doesn't last forever because it is linked to human life which is not eternal.

In a nutshell the poet wants to compare poetry with the power of kings. Everyone is dunned to be forgotten even the king of kings. Poetry only makes people and passions eternal.