Maggies Ozymandias Essay -- Analysis, Percy Shelley

In developing an insightful central theme, Percy Shelley avails of two tight literary tools, imagery and irony, to jolt readers with a striking epiphany. Imagery for one, navigates the reference to what is truly emphasized in the verse literary art as opposed to physical, plastic art. It also serves to characterize a key find out in the poemOzymandiaswhom is ascribed as having cold, arrogant, and pretentious qualities. The speaker juxtaposes the words chip at on the pedestal with the image of dilapidated depositorys and the b ar boundless litoral which surround it. When these two vivid descriptions contrast, the visual imagery, through this juxtaposition, actually buttresses situational irony. In fact, situational irony dominates and governs the readers very impression of the former pharaoh at the conclusion of the poem worn down and disintegrated, Ozymandias monument portrays an image of wreckage and reconditeness whereas, the poem itself portrays an image, which withstan ding time, has successfully attempted what Ozymandias himself sought after ever invariable fame and a lasting legacy. By using imagery and irony, Shelley conveys the idea that poetical verses, linguistic expressions, and literary legacies outlast those of massive and architectural form.Interestingly enough, Shelley employs the phrase antique go through (1) to start out the diction in this instance highlights the setting, and our perspective of time, for antiquity denotes the belonging to the past and not being modern. The style in which the poem is rendered is reminiscent of a folk tales recital since we are told the story through an obscure traveller and the reader is naturally haggard into the mysticism and mystery. However, in this way, Shelley distances the audie... ...initely. So the wreckage which remained scarcely survived the sands of time. So in this way, the reader perceives that a legacy through a mere monument is a legacy which fades.So what is left of Ozymandias? The poem itselfand further, the poem actually slights at the very heart of the former kings desired legacy. We see that, in fact, how easily the Pharaoh, whom monuments had once been built for and who once rule a great empire, is easily thwarted in the readers mind by linguistic expressions, by delicate subtle phrases, and by literary persuasion. Shelleys work perpetuates through the years to remind galore(postnominal) of Ozymandias. On the other hand, we also see that the endurance of physical art, monumental designs, and sculptures as a medium of legacy is inferior to that of the mighty, powerful literary weapons Shelley wields from his arsenal of ink and parchment.