OZMANDIAS PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY

Structure

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Shelley was a Romantic poet they believed in the unity of nature and man: however, nature was more powerful and man should be in awe.
Ozymandias was written in 1819 this was when the British Empire covered the world, this allowed British civilians to travel more and discover unmapped lands: like Egypt.
In Egypt, they found parts of a once great pharaoh Rameses 2nd. Also known as Ozymandias.

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A shattered visage lies, whose frown and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command. - Triad allows the reader to imagine more in what Shelley wants to portray. The alliteration of the hard 'c' gives the impre**ion of unfeeling, harsh this is synaesthesia this also emphasises what Shelley wants the reader to view Rameses. Shattered is ambiguous for it suggests that the statue is unrecognisable but also that the statue has no worth anymore, that its purpose has gone.
Its sculptor well those pa**ions read which yet survive, stamped on these lifele** things, - Sibilance alliteration links the ideas of Rameses power and conveys a sinister sound revealing how Rameses ruled over Egypt.

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King of Kings: - repetition shows arrogance on Rameses behalf this is also a biblical reference, referring to Shelley's beliefs that 19th-century leaders were corrupt.
Look on my works, ye mighty and despair! - dramatic irony, no one is listening and all there is is sand.
Nothing beside remains. - the short simple sentence, states the fact of the difference between power and nothingness, concluding that nature is more powerful.
Boundless and bare, the lone level sand stretch far away.' - describes the desert and its power, how man is less so. Use of plosive alliteration links the ideas of the desert being isolated and empty. Also, the alliteration of the long 'l' sound gives the impression of flat empty horizon which juxtaposes to the power and ego of the statue.

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