Nothing Lasts Forever: Critical Analysis of Ozymandias

Nothing Lasts Forever A youthful Critical Analysis of Ozymandias. Throughout the history of man, there has always been a select few who give care for immortality. They build awe-inspiring kingdoms, erect massive statues, all in all in a vain effort to retire from their mark on the world. None of them has been successful, thus far, and Ramesses II is no exception. In the poesy Ozymandias, by Percy Bysshe Shelley, a traveler shares his experience at the site of a statue depicting Ramesses II. The statue has fallen into disrepair at the hands of the acetous environment, as well as the eroding process of succession.At first reading, the text presents itself as a song about the withering away of a once great statue. However, through the use of imageism, setting, diction, and irony, the verse form reveals that opus men may strive for immortality, the true king of kings (line 11) is Time. Legs on the human body are needed for motion and balance, but they also act as an importan t symbol of Ramesses IIs kingdom. Without these replicate apparatuses, the human body is incapable of moving forward. In this respect, the two vast and trunkless legs of stone (line 2) found bodiless in the verse form symbolize the overthrow of Ozymandiass empire by Time.Without legs on which to stand, his kingdom has baffled its momentum and has subsequently been devoured by the sand. In addition, the top half of the statuethe head and part of the torsois move in the sand half sunk (line 4). As with the legs, the positioning of the head and torso is symbolic. Ozymandias is gazing at the sky, expression up what remains of his decimated kingdom, a wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command (line 5) on his face. To look up to someone else is to acknowledge their position of authority over other(a)s.Through the positioning of the statue, Ramesses II is acknowledging that Time has conquered him. His empire has been decrease to dust, claimed by the littoral of Time. The poem descri bes the setting as boundless and bare/The lone and level sands stretch far away (line 13-14), which amplifies Times dominance as a theme. What is a depopulate? To the unknowing reader, it is nothing more than a large sandbox. With the exception of sand and rocks, its an empty, dead land. However, when compared to other terrains, such as a forest or ountain range, it is surprisingly uncomplicated. In Ozymandias, the harsh environment and strict terrain is a symbol of brutal honesty. Humans are poorly tolerated in deserts, and should a man purpose to build his empire in one, he impart be faced with brutal honesty and will be tested. The choice of location is just as crucial to the theme as the location itself. Since the statue is in its original environment, over taken by the harsh winds and buried in the sand, and not preserved behind a film over miscue, it argues against Ozymandiass immortality.Rather than be displayed for others to learn and respect his accomplishments, the r emains of his kingdom have been left behind, deemed useless and undesirable by the world. Had the traveler viewed the remains of the statue in a museum, Times purpose in the poem would have taken on a whole new meaning. Given the state of his later meets, Ozymandiass words Look at my works, ye Mighty, and despair (line 11) are ironic, and the imagery of his former kingdom proves that Time has conquered him. When the traveler recounts his visit to the antique land (line 1), he describes a landscape that is covered in sand.A statue is a symbol of longevity and permanence. Its appearance, if well-maintained, does not wane or deteriorate, forever capturing the beauty and magnificence of the subject for which it was created. Such is the case with Michelangelos David, which has only put outd to thrive because it is maintained. However, there are no servants remaining to tend to Ramesses IIs statue, no one to remember his legacy. The statue of Ozymandias has broken in half, and the head lays on the ground penny-pinching by. Nothing beside remains (line 12) the traveler explains, noting the decay/Of that colossal wreck (lines 12 13).Can the King of kings legacy continue without proof that it ever truly existed? No, it cannot, which means the words scripted on the pedestal have taken on an entirely different meaning. It is not Ozymandias that the Mighty should fear, but the true King of kingsTime. Times empire is in actuality the thing that is boundless (line 13), not the kingdom of Ozymandias, which had a time limit all along. The diction choices in the sonnet are very specific, particularly those describing the statue, and they serve to reflect Ramesses IIs downfall. The raveler describes the statue as being on the sand/Half sunk (line 3-4), which is often interpreted to mean that the statue is buried halfway in the sand. Considering the ironic words engraved on Ozymandiass statue, the word sunkthe recent participle of the word sinktakes on a different meaning. What is sand, and more importantly, how does it relate to the theme of the poem? When used in conjunction, sand and Time make up an hourglassthe universal symbol of time. The sand surrounding the statue is not merely a mass accumulation of sedimentary rock, but a symbol for the sands of Time, a term given to the inside of an hourglass.The statue, as well as the kingdom has been devoured by Time. some other few centuries, and the last remnants of Ramesses IIs empire will fall through the hourglass completely. Furthermore, line four continues with a shattered visage lies (line 4). When something is shattered, it is almost impossible to reassemble them. Even a shattered subdivision takes months to heal properly, and it is never quite the same from then on. The shattered visage (line 4) spoken of in the poem isnt just Ramesses IIs statue it is his legacy that has been broken. The empire that he had created, the one that he was so sure would endure, has collapsed.The hubris of kings is pride and the desire for immortality. Unfortunately, as Shelleys poem demonstrates, Time is not something that can be manipulated. With his death, Ramesses IIs empire came to a standstill, but Time continued to move and ultimately overthrew the pharaoh. Time is the true King of kings. Through the use of symbolism, setting, diction, and irony, Shelley proves that humans are finite beings and nothing lasts forever. Works Cited Shelley, Percy Bysshe. Ozymandias. lit Reading and Writing with Critical Strategies. Ed. Steven Lynn. Pearson-Longman. New York City. 2004. 618 619. Print.