FAQs
What is the poem “Ozymandias” about?
"Ozymandias" is a sonnet by Percy Bysshe Shelley that tells the story of a traveler who encounters the ruins of a statue in the desert. The statue depicts the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Ozymandias. Despite the grandiose and vain expressions on the statue’s face and the inscription on the pedestal boasting of his eternal supremacy, it lies broken and abandoned, with only the legs and a shattered face remaining. The traveler witnesses that none of Ozymandias’ monuments or glorious achievements persist, and only the vast, desolate expanse of the desert spreads in every direction around the ruin.
Who wrote “Ozymandias?”
"Ozymandias" was written by Percy Bysshe Shelley, one of the most well-known English romantic poets. The period when “Ozymandias” was written followed Napoleon’s invasion of Ottoman Egypt, which led to several interesting archaeological discoveries in the ancient land. This fomented heightened curiosity about Egypt and its pharaohs, ultimately inspiring “Ozymandias.”
When was “Ozymandias” written?
Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote Ozymandias between December 1817 and January 1818. The sonnet was possibly written as part of a contest between Shelley and Horace Smith, his friend. The sonnet was inspired by the statue of Ramesses II, which had been found not long ago in Egypt, following the archaeological explorations of the region.
What is the structure of “Ozymandias?”
“Ozymandias” loosely follows the structure of a Petrarchan sonnet, which adheres to the ABBAABBACDECDE rhyme scheme. However, “Ozymandias” differs from the traditional Petrarchan rhyming schema and instead follows the ABABACDCEDEFEF structure. Shelley has also incorporated a few elements of the Shakespearean sonnet, making “Ozymandias” a unique amalgamation of both Petrarchan and Shakespearean styles.
