I met a traveller from an antique land by Percy Bysshe Shelley — Analysis & Translation

Original Poem

I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desart.[d] 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. — Percy Shelley, "Ozymandias", 1819 edition

Translation (English)

I met a traveler from an ancient place Who said: Two huge stone legs without a body Stand in the desert. Nearby, on the sand, Half buried, a broken face lies, with a frown, And a wrinkled lip, and a sneer of cold command, Show that the sculptor understood those feelings well Which still remain, imprinted on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them and the heart that nourished them: And on the base these words are written: "My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look at my works, you powerful ones, and despair!" Nothing else is left. Around the ruins Of that huge wreck, endless and empty The lonely and flat sands stretch far away.

About the Poet

Percy Bysshe Shelley (Romantic)

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) was a major English Romantic poet known for his radical views and lyrical poetry. His works, including 'Ozymandias,' gained recognition posthumously, influencing later poets. Shelley's poetry often explores themes of power, nature, and the human condition.

Historical Context

Literary Form: Sonnet
When Written: 1818
Background: Shelley's 'Ozymandias' reflects on the impermanence of power and the inevitable decline of rulers. It was inspired by the discovery of a statue of Ramses II, known as Ozymandias in Greek, and serves as a critique of hubris and the fleeting nature of human achievements.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozymandias, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46565/ozymandias, https://poemanalysis.com/percy-bysshe-shelley/ozymandias/

Detailed Explanation

Shelley's 'Ozymandias' is a reflection on the transient nature of power and the inevitable decay of human achievements. The poem begins with the narrator recounting a story told by a traveler about a ruined statue in the desert. The statue, once a grand monument to the mighty ruler Ozymandias, now lies in ruins with only its legs and a shattered face remaining. The face, with its frown and sneer, suggests the arrogance and authority of the ruler. The inscription on the pedestal, proclaiming Ozymandias as 'King of Kings,' ironically contrasts with the surrounding desolation, emphasizing the futility of human pride and the impermanence of power. The poem uses vivid imagery to convey the vast emptiness of the desert, symbolizing the erasure of Ozymandias's legacy. Through this depiction, Shelley critiques the hubris of rulers and the fleeting nature of their accomplishments, reminding readers of the inevitable passage of time and the ultimate insignificance of earthly power.

Themes

Literary Devices

Word Dictionary

Word	Meaning	Translation	Transliteration
traveller	someone who travels	someone who goes to different places	trav-uh-ler
antique	old	very old	an-teek
trunkless	without a body	without the main body	truhngk-lis
desart	desert	a dry, barren area	dez-ert
visage	face	face	viz-ij
frown	scowl	an unhappy face	froun
sneer	smirk	a mean smile	sneer
sculptor	artist	someone who creates sculptures	skuhlpt-er
pedestal	base	the base of a statue	ped-uh-stuhl
colossal	huge	very big	kuh-los-uhl
boundless	endless	never-ending	bound-lis
bare	empty	nothing on it	bair
lone	solitary	by itself	lohn
level	flat	flat and even	lev-uhl