OzymandiasOzymandiasBy Percy ShelleyBy Percy Shelley

Pre-reading

What is your greatest achievement in your life so far?What would you like people to remember about you in the future?

Who Was He?

Ramesses IIThe early part of his reign was focused on building cities, temples and monuments. He established the city of Pi-Ramesses in the Nile DeltaBy the time of his death, aged about 90, years he had made Egypt rich from all the supplies and riches he had collected from other empires.

bare

boundless

decay

(to) despair

frown

mighty

mocked - to mock

passions

pedestal

remains

shattered

sneer

stamped

trunkless

wreck

wrinkled

bare

boundless

decay

(to) despair

frown

mighty

mocked - to mock

passions

pedestal

remains

shattered

sneer

stamped

trunkless

wreck

wrinkled

OzymandiasOzymandiasBy Percy Bysshe ShelleyBy Percy Bysshe Shelley

I met a traveler from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frownAnd wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed:

And on the pedestal these words appear: "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.

I met a traveler from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frownAnd wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed:

And on the pedestal these words appear: "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.

IronyThis poem is based on irony.

Irony is when your attempt to do something produces an opposite affect.

It is ironic because none of the king's achievements have actually survived

What is ironic about the boast inscribed on the pedestal?

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!' "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!' "

1. Where do you think this conversation takes place? Is it the speaker's thoughts? What does this ambiguity contribute to the poem?

2. Is there any suggestion that the sculptor takes pride in his work? Justify your answer.

3. The traveler refers to the destroyed statue as a heap of "lifeless things". Is it "lifeless" because it's in pieces, or it is "trunkless“- Or is it "lifeless" because it's made of stone?

4. What words tell us that the poet had not personally witnessed the scene he is describing.

5. What is the theme of the Octave?

6. What is the theme of the sestet?

Bridging Text and Context

1. Can you think of any modern day leader who “fits the bill” of this poem.2. Does this poem remind you of anything you have seen in your own experience? Explain your response. 3. Which leaders would you want to read this poem?

Post Reading Activity This statue, however, does not have "two vast and trunkless legs of stone", nor does it have a "shattered visage" with a "frown, wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command." In fact, all statues of Egyptian kings have a uniform expression of serene benevolence. Nor does the base of the statue at Thebes have any inscription, although Ramesses's cartouche is inscribed on the statue itself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozymandias

Post Reading Activity

Knowing the facts, does this change how you feel about the poem?

Write a formal letter to Percy Shelly explaining how you feel about his misrepresentation of the facts.

Audio Description

of Statue

• http://www.britishmuseum.org/Files/ramesses.mp3

Percy Bysshe ShelleyPercy Bysshe ShelleyEnglish Romantic Poet

•Percy Bysshe Shelley was born 4 August 1792•He was brought up in privileged circumstances•In 1811 he eloped with Harriet Westbrook.•Sir Timothy refused ever to see his son again.•Percy and Harriet had daughter Lanthe and a son Charles•He left Harriet and ran off with Mary Goodwin who he later married and had a son from her named William•Shelley drowned in the Mediterranean Sea on 8 July 1822