The sonnet Ozymandias, by Percy Bysshe Shelley, emits an intriguing and seducing atmosphere. It feels “far away” and mysterious. The author uses a number of different tools in order to emit this particular atmosphere throughout his sonnet. First it seems that the vocabulary plays an important part. The words “traveler”, “antique land”, “vast”, “desert”, “decay”, “colossal”, “far away” and others all contribute to the creation of this antique, warm and mysterious feeling the reader gets when reading the sonnet.
It feels as if the use of narration inside the sonnet also contributes to the creation of this particular, warm atmosphere. The fact that a character (the “traveler from an antique land”) is telling a story creates the ambiance of a story more than a sonnet. It reminds the reader in some ways of a bedtime story, maybe of an exploration expedition in Egypt, and certainly gives the sonnet a warm feel to it.
Now, more importantly, the metaphor included in the sonnet is exceptionally interesting. In great irony, the once almighty “king of kings” who once mocked his inferiors, and fed his people, is now dead along with his entire kingdom, and his statue is slowly falling apart. This goes to demonstrate that one is never truly almighty, not even the “king of kings”, and that power can only be held by a man for so long. Indeed it is shown that only nature is truly almighty, as it always prevails and always overcomes man in the end. Therefore in a way this sonnet also beautifully underlines the importance and the power of nature.
nature in this poem has an important role . The role of nature is greater compare to the role of man. The long sentence in the beginning proves that. The fact that the sentence is long gives us an image of the vast never ending dessert. It shows us the greatness of nature that overpower man. Nature doesn't end, but man do, they die and are forgotten. Ozymandias like many people fell victim to nature, of the passing time.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Romain. In this sonnet, Shelley mocks Ozymandias. Not only do we see this when his statue is nothing but legs and a head half buried in the sand next to it, but also by mocking the words written on it.
ReplyDelete"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Imagine a pair of legs with these words written on them, the reader wants to laugh. I also agree with you when you imply the presence of the power of nature in the text. Shelley shows us that nature is immortal therefore more powerful than man. Ozymandias and his Empire are victims of time, they both vanished, and the remains are slowly rotting in the desert.