“Ozymandias” by Percy Shelley is a poem that explores the ephemeral glory that comes with material wealth and power in juxtaposition with the perpetual and inevitable power of time. It also addresses the power of storytelling; the only legacy that lasts is not that of physical treasure, but of spiritual and emotional impressions. The speaker of the poem tells a story in which a glorious kingdom has come to be nothing but ruins, displaying the unavoidable effects of time. The legacy of the once great king exists only through stories and a few physical fragments. He is remembered for being cold, stern, and proud. This is what remains of his once materially wealthy kingdom. During the lifetime of King Ramses II, the main subject of the poem, his …show more content…
The speaker’s metonymical description of the sculptor’s work tells the reader that in the process of attempting to capture the essence of Ozymandias’s aura, he made a mockery of him: “The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed.” The statue serves to forever represent the king’s great power, but rather than display his power, it shows his lack thereof. This unintentional mockery of the king further adds to the idea that the things we hold on to in this world that seem like they will last forever will not necessarily matter after we pass. The sculptor had thoroughly studied the king’s mannerisms in order to correctly depict him. The king’s overconfidence in turn, did the opposite of what it was supposed to do. The king made a joke of himself. His underestimation of the power of time is perfectly displayed through the words on his pedestal and through the sculptor’s depiction of his face. The fact that the face found in the sand is shattered further makes a mockery of the king. As he tells people to look upon his works, all that can be found is ruin and decay; those are all that his have come to amount …show more content…
When the speaker uses words and phrases such as “shattered” and “colossal wreck,” the effects of time upon this once great power are highlighted. Rather than seeing a grand kingdom, the reader sees a grand mess. The pedestal reads “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: / Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” Following this quotation, the speaker observes “Nothing beside remains.” This immediate response to the reading of Ozymandias’s words underlines the fact that the king who thought so highly of himself no longer has any justification for his words. He no longer possesses the power over people that he so openly boasted of. His credibility has fallen with his kingdom. All that is remembered of him is his