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Always wanted to practise your understanding of context in 'Ozymandias'?
Well, you've come to the right place!
This activity is quite simple. We're going to be looking at the background of the poem, the themes that Shelley uses and the context behind 'Ozymandias'.
Shelley, a poet during the era of Romanticism, wrote 'Ozymandias' after archaeologists discovered fragments of a funeral statue of King Ramesses II, a pharaoh of Egypt in the 13th century. During Shelley's life, he was exposed to philosophies and teachings which influenced many of his opinions- Shelley was an atheist and believed strongly in liberty and equality. These beliefs are reflected in the poem 'Ozymandias'.
As you do this activity, jot down some important facts that you notice along the way. It'll be really helpful for your exam and your general knowledge.
Just a reminder: context is the background, environment and setting of a poem.
Here is the poem for you to refer to in the activity. You can turn back to this page at any point by clicking the red help button on the screen.
I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: “Two vast 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 besides remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
