Question

In the poem Ozymandias, how is the poet mocking the tyrant rulers?

Answer 1

In the poem "Ozymandias," the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley is mocking the idea of tyrant rulers by portraying the ultimate futility of their efforts to establish their power and fame.The poem describes a ruined statue in the middle of a desert, which is identified as the statue of Ozymandias, a powerful ancient king or pharaoh. The statue is now in ruins and only the legs and a shattered face of the king remain. The inscription on the pedestal of the statue reads:"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"However, the irony in the poem is that Ozymandias' boastful claim of being the mightiest of all rulers has been proven false by the passage of time. The king's power has faded away, and his statue lies in ruins in the middle of a desert, far from his kingdom.

The poet uses vivid imagery and a juxtaposition of the grandiose language of the inscription with the desolate landscape of the statue's surroundings to emphasize the transience of all human power and glory. By doing so, the poet mocks the tyrant rulers who believe that their power is everlasting and that they are invincible.

In this way, the poem Ozymandias serves as a reminder that no matter how powerful and mighty one may seem, all things will eventually come to an end, and nothing lasts forever.

Answer 2

In the poem "Ozymandias," the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley is mocking the tyrant rulers by showing how even the greatest empires and leaders will eventually fall, and their legacy will be forgotten over time.

The poem describes a traveler who encounters the ruins of a statue of Ozymandias, a powerful ancient king. The inscription on the statue, "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" suggests that the king was arrogant and believed he was invincible. However, the traveler finds only the broken statue, surrounded by a vast and empty desert, suggesting that the king's power has faded into insignificance.

By describing the ruins of the statue and the barren landscape, Shelley is emphasizing the transience of human power and achievement. The fact that the statue, which once embodied the king's power and grandeur, is now nothing but a broken relic, suggests that even the most powerful rulers will eventually be forgotten. The irony in the poem lies in the fact that the king's arrogance and belief in his own invincibility is what ultimately leads to his downfall and serves as a warning to all tyrants who believe that their power will last forever.

Overall, the poem is a scathing commentary on the folly of tyrants and the fleeting nature of their power. By highlighting the transience of human achievement and power, Shelley invites readers to question their own assumptions about what is truly valuable and enduring in life.