Irony in Ozymandias Essay

Shelly produces a wonderful piece of irony in Ozymandias. When visualiseing at Ozymandias we should facial expression at the Greek breakdown of the signalize. Ozy comes from the Greek ozium, which means to breath, or air. Mandias comes from the Greek mandate, which means to rule, notes Biterman in his analysis of the poem. The fact that the derivative of the with child(p) Ozymandiass name is Ruler of Air is where the irony begins. When one looks upon what was written on the base of the statue and then to what has become of that statue and all that surrounds it one sees how ironic that name really is.It is easiest to begin from the inscription on the base of the statue as it gives us the best insight into the man it represents. My name is Ozymandias, king of kings Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair(lines 10-11) This quote infers his judgment that no one will forever surpass his works. One might purge conclude from this that he would even challenge God himself. We then ca n go back and look at how Shelley described the statue. His description tells us what condition God leaves the ensample of this mocking fool Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And unironed lip, and sneer of cold command.(lines 2-5) The condition of the statue in itself shows that Ozymandias was not the greatest normal there ever was.In looking at the condition of the statue and his haggling after you really do see the irony of the situation. All which this great king accomplished and what he once was has eroded into the sand departure nothing but two vast and trunkless legs of stone. God allows only the legs and spoken communication to stand so that he might prove a render. The point Shelly tried to raise in the poem was that God will hold up all those who attempt to make a mockery of him.Shelly writes, Tell that its sculpturer well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the burden that fed.(lines 6-8) On this point I would have to agree with Joe Kelly in his belief that Ozymandiass heart fed on the passions of his volume. If he had nurtured his people sort of of oppressing them theirpassion would have been with maintaining his memory, instead of destroying it.There is a great call of irony in Ozymandias shattered visage on the sand. The king who so terrified those he commanded for so longsighted no longer has each power, yet, his face still tries to dominate all he sees. The very actions that brought to him a period of glory also brought the destruction of what he worked so watchfully on. Once finished the reader can look back and realize how ironic the entire situation is at one point this linguistic rule was (or believed himself to be) the most powerful man to have ever stomachd, and now people look at his lifeless shrine and realize the truth. As long as this poem goes on being r ead Ozymandias will live on.Works CitedBiterman, Aaron J. Analysis of Ozymandias. Dec. 2000. 23 Mar. 2003 .Kelly, Joe. Mighty Works in Shelleys Ozymandias. 23 Mar. 2003 http//www.cofc.edu/kellyj/explication.html.