Analysis of "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley

I met a traveller 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 frown

And 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 believe the message of this poem is that no matter how powerful one gets, there will be a day where all the hunger for power and recognition that one once had, expires. As stated in the poem, Ozymandias was the “King of Kings” which emphasises his power and ability to rule over others, but as the traveller sees his broken statue, it seems that the power of Ozymandias has been corrupted and overthrown by his own greed.

            This poem tries to describe Ozymandias as a ruler always hungry for power, as he receives more power, he becomes hungrier. He thought that he would become so powerful that everyone would remember him forever for the strength and power that he possessed. Little he knew that his hunger for power was the main cause of the downfall to his reign of rule. I suspect the cause of his downfall was that he was baited by someone who wanted the title of “King of Kings”. Ozymandias would be persuaded that he would receive more power from one’s advice then ultimately, that advice leads to his downfall.

As Ozymandias is slowly forgotten by people in the modern age, the words on the pedestal (“My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings”) seems like a desperate attempt from Ozymandias himself to not be forgotten. However as time goes by and rulers come and go, the memory of Ozymandias will someday vanish completely, leaving all the power he had behind.

Although the new ruler has successfully overthrown Ozymandias, he will almost definitely become hungry for power as well, which will corrupt him and eventually, lead to his downfall. Its a never ending cycle for rulers, but those who can prevent corruption, arrogance and greed are those who truly deserve to dictate and lead and it is those rulers who will be recognized forever. .