“Ozymandias” is a classic poem that addresses the hubris of its title king, who falsely believed the world would remember his empire long after he was gone.
Some other poems that deal with similar themes include W.H. Auden’s “The Fall of Rome,” Emily Dickinson’s “I took my power in my hand,” and William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 94."
Auden depicts the universal, inevitable end of all human societies due to humanity’s insistence that it build vast empires. This could relate to Shelley’s mention of the “mighty” referred to in the poem.
Dickinson’s poem addresses the question of why the individual fails. Alluding to David and Goliath in the Bible, the speaker wonders if he or she was too weak or if the obstacle too strong. This power struggle relates to Shelley’s poem, if you consider how Ozymandias failed as well.
Finally, Shakespeare’s poem connects to Shelley’s because the speaker describes what happens when power corrupts the powerful. In the final couplet of the sonnet, the speaker asserts that rotten lilies are worse than weeds, suggesting that leaders often begin with promise and good intentions.
Friday, July 22, 2016
The poem "Ozymandias" explores power and its aftereffects. What is another poem that analyzes the same topics?
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