Key Quotations and Their Impact
The imagery in this poem is absolutely striking and easy to visualise. When Shelley describes the "wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command," you can practically see the cruel expression frozen in stone. The harsh 'c' sounds mirror the harshness of a tyrant giving orders.
Ozymandias's boastful words "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" show his massive arrogance. He wanted people to fear his power, but ironically, his "works" have completely vanished. The biblical references suggest he saw himself as god-like.
The final image is devastatingly effective: "the lone and level sands stretch far away." The alliteration emphasises the endless passage of time, whilst 'lone' suggests his kingdom is completely abandoned. Where once stood a mighty empire, now there's just empty desert.
Context matters: Shelley was rebelling against the conservative politics of his day, using Ozymandias as a warning to contemporary leaders about the temporary nature of power.