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Arrogance In Percy Byshee Shelley's 'Ozymandias'

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Arrogance will consume people when times are great, destroying any chance of relief when they aren’t. In the poem, “Ozymandias”, by Percy Byshee Shelley, mainly the theme discusses how ironic a man’s arrogance can be, it can instantly shape from great accomplishments to complete destruction. There are perfect examples of great lives and times of rule, ironic times that people are allowed to boast, but too much confidence destroys everyone around, and when times are tough the broken relations will not be in the time of need.
To be extremely boastful you must have lived a successful life, a life like Ozymandias. Overconfidence always consumes a person, it makes them believe they are unstoppable. Ozymandias may have been one of Egypt's greatest rulers, being a very successful warrior and leader but his downfall was that he only cared for his undying fame (Ramses II). Shelley vividly quotes Ozymandias with “king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and …show more content…

People stand tall for a very long time, but hard times slowly hurt people till their collapse. Just like the traveler noticed “trunkless legs… stand” (Shelley 2-3). For a long time Ozymandias stood tall watching all the great things that he had done, it built his confidence, but his overconfidence lead to a great defeat a trunkless body with no support from himself or anyone. Shelley also had strong views of what still currently goes on in life. He believed that the greatest legacies of the most powerful individuals come to a shambling end. Long generations can be instantly destroyed as simply explained by Shelley: “Nothing beside remains”(Shelley 12). His legacy has ended the people around him have been ended and also all types of relations. People may live great boastful lives but in the end when the downfall comes nothing seems to matter

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Odysseus suffered of this, as being stubborn, making poor decisions and being egoistic. As Odysseus arrives in the land of the cyclops, he decides to meet one of them. Hes crew quickly advice him not do such insane action that he’ll soon regret. Odysseus didn’t follow the advice and proceed to the cave.

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