ipl-logo

Ozymandias Essay

553 Words3 Pages

Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem, “Ozymandias”, is an eloquent piece describing the views of a ruler and poet. Egyptian ruler, Rameses II is who Shelley is describing in his poem. As a young ruler, Rameses battled for his vast kingdom so, when he aged, he remain the same, that he was willing to do anything to keep his empire. Shelley was inspired to compose this piece of literature to show the two views and to tell a deeper meaning on which path we take to avoid death. He describes the Rameses II decaying statue’s feature in an adequate way and with emotion. His poem is an important composition to display how each group, the monarchy and the citizens or laborer view each other. The images and statues of Rameses II are noticeably similar from his stature and facial expression. Illustrations that his citizens composed of him, demonstrated that he was a ruthless, evil emperor. Many of the pictures of him young, are in battles or sacrificing prisoners to the god Amon-Ra. However, when he was younger he was establishing his empire, when …show more content…

The message he want to get across to his audience was that in avoiding death you choice on of two paths, the path of emperor or the path of the poet. The road the ruler takes, wrecks everything and in the end gets destroyed. The way the poet takes demonstrates who to make your soul your own and is not rule by anyone else. Shelley sees himself as the poet or the sculptor in the poem. Continuing, the sculptor that he references to, insults Rameses II by forming his hands in a mocking way but in a manor where the ruler would not notice. Further more, it is only acknowledged by the citizens. Her description of Rameses II’s expressions is how most of the statues and pictures appear. His face is conveying confident, angry and cold-blooded. His expression ridiculed those powerless and ordinary figures in society with

More about Ozymandias Essay

    Open Document