Need to see things differently? Look at perspective in Ozymandias from another angle.
Perspectives in Oymandias
In the poem Ozymandias, there are at least four different perspectives given by distinctly different characters.
The poem is told to us by Shelley, who is telling as a story he himself heard from a traveller.
In the traveller’s story, a sculptor and Ozymandias are present.
It could also be argued that, finally, time, or a vast emptiness, is a fifth character in the poem. Though unspoken, it is definitely felt, and fitting for a Romantic poem.
Perspective in Ozymandias is constantly shifting, giving the reader a sense of movement through time.
perspectives opinions
distinctly clearly
vast huge
The Poem
antique old (thing)
vast huge
visage face
sneer frown
passions strong emotions
lifeless dead
mocked made fun of
ye you
despair feelings that there is no hope
decay (rotted, inferior, or ruined state)
colossal huge
boundless endless
lone (single/alone)
Perspective 1: The Poet
"I met..."
In the poem Ozymandias, there are at least four different perspectives given by distinctly different characters.
The speaker, “I” in the present, who is probably Shelley. The “traveller” who tells the story. The “sculptor” who crafted the statue. Lastly, “My”, Ozymandias himself.
The present speaker, “I…” immediately appears and disappears, just like the present does. As time is always passing, it is impossible to stay in the present, which must becomes past. This links in which the theme of time passing in in the poem.
Additionally, the speaker never actually saw the statue themselves, they merely tell a story another person told them. This gives the story a mythological, mysterious sense, as though it may have never really happened.
Shelley himself definitely never saw the statue, as it no longer existed as he described it at the time this poem was written.
perspectives opinions
distinctly clearly
crafted created
Additionally, Also,
merely only
mythological (related to very old stories)
as though like
Perspective 2: The Traveller
"...traveller from an antique land..."
The “traveller…” tells the rest of the story, but, being a traveller, they may never be seen or heard of again. This also ties into the nature of passing time, as a clear metaphorical link can be made with travelling and the passage of time. This particular traveller is telling a story from an unknown time, and it is unknown when Shelley met them, if at all.
We are given no information about them, other than that they come from an “antique” land, suggesting they are from a place that is not civilised, in the 19th century sense of the term.
The story being told by a mysterious traveller from far away strongly fits the conventions of the Romantic genre.
metaphorical symbolic
antique old thing
civilised peaceful
genre (type of writing or art)
Perspective 3: The Sculptor
"its sculptor..."
Shifting to the perspective of the sculptor is actually a way Shelley has forced us to shift in time. We now are forced to see the sculptor from ages past creating this monument.
Furthermore, we feel their emotions, as they were “mocked” by Ozymandias, but also “fed” by his heart. Perhaps the sculptor, though abused by Ozymandias, was still reliant on him for work and a livelihood. Another view is that only a figure such as Ozymandias could had fed the artistic passions of the artist.
Certainly, “sculptor” is also a metaphor for the poet, Shelley. As he sculpted the poem in their present, the statue was sculpted in the past. Ozymandias is also clearly the object of Shelley’s poetic passion in this instance, too.
Taking Ozymandias as a metaphor for the rulers and governments that Shelley perceived to be oppressive, including his own, one can also see how he would have been “mocked”.
Shelley’s work was frequently censored by the British government for being too atheistic and political radical. His poetry was also a commercial failure, with most critics of his time attacking and denigrating his work.
Ultimately however, both the sculptor and Shelley, regardless of the quality of their work, are artists impassioned to leave behind something timeless and immortal.
the perspective of the view of
shift move/change
Furthermore, What’s more,
emotions, feelings of love, hate, fear, etc.,
mocked made fun of
Perhaps Maybe
abused (treated or used in a very mean, unfair way)
reliant on (depending on and needing)
livelihood job
passions emotions
metaphor (physical thing that refers to an idea or emotion)
oppressive terrible
frequently often
censored changed
atheistic non-God-believing
radical (person who believes that extreme methods must be used now to create huge changes in society)
critics people (who say bad things or give opinions)
denigrating insulting
Ultimately (in the end)
regardless of (without any concern about/having nothing to do with)
impassioned emotional
timeless always-existing
immortal incapable of dying
Perspective 4: Ozymandias
"My name is Ozymandias..."
Ozymandias himself speaks, though through the inscription. “My…” allows us into his mindset, and see through his eyes. We hear both the living Ozymandias speak, but also the broken, dead statue.
It is evident that Ozymandias is boastful of his power over people and his ability to transform the entire landscape with his works.
It is from this perspective that the reader may feel the most power, however that is quickly cut short by the juxtaposing line telling us that nothing remains. Although Ozymandias’ rule was long and successful, only this short poem and some small ruins remain.
As previously mentioned, Ozymandias may be a metaphor for what Shelley thought was tyrannical government.
From Ozymandias’ perspective, he will live forever, in his statue. We, the reader, know better however, as did Shelley. Shelley may be implying that no government or leader, however powerful, will last for ever.
inscription written saying
mindset attitude/set of opinions
evident obvious
boastful snobby
transform change
entire whole
landscape (wide view of a nature scene/wide area of beautiful land)
from this perspective from this way of seeing things
juxtaposing (putting next to)
previously (before that/before now)
mentioned talked about/said
metaphor (physical thing that refers to an idea or emotion)
tyrannical very mean
perspective (way of seeing things / sensible view of what is and is not important)
implying suggesting
Perspective 5: Time
"My name is Ozymandias..."
An additional perspective in Ozymandias is an eternity of emptiness stretching in all directions.
This may be a metaphor for Shelley’s atheism and lack of a belief in heaven. It could also represent the power of time over all men, and nature.
Both suggest that only nothingness awaits us, no matter what great works we have achieved.
An additional An added
perspective (way of seeing things / sensible view of what is and is not important)
eternity forever
metaphor (physical thing that refers to an idea or emotion)
atheism (not believing in God)
awaits waits for
achieved (accomplished or gained)
