Power And Conflict Poetry Essay Preparation: Ozymandias Notes

Context: Ozymandias is based on an egyptain pharoah called Ramses 2nd, who was an oppressive, cruel leader.  The poem is about his arrogant attitude and his loss of power.

Key Points - Ozymandias: Shelley sets the poem as a story to make it clear that the narrator hasn't seen the statue. They've only heard about it and this emphasises just how unimportant Ozymandias is nowadays. In the poem, the writer seems to mock Ozymandias, which is another emphasis on how unimportant he is.

Language: The quote "shattered visage" is a metaphor for Ozymandias' face, This is used to represent Rameses loss of power. Through this quote, Shelley is mocking the fact that Ramses 2nd built statues of himself to be famous, but as the face of the statue is broken, no one…