The poem
"Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley contains several poetic devices,
including:
1. **Irony**: The irony of the
poem lies in the contrast between the boastful inscription on the pedestal of
the statue ("Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!") and the
reality of the broken, desolate statue in the desert, serving as a testament to
the impermanence of power and human achievements.
2. **Imagery**: Shelley uses
vivid imagery to paint a picture of the ruined statue in the vast desert
landscape, conveying a sense of desolation and decay.
3. **Alliteration**: Examples
of alliteration can be found throughout the poem, such as "sunk" and
"shattered," "boundless" and "bare," "sneer
of cold command," etc. These help create rhythm and emphasize certain
words or phrases.
4. **Symbolism**: The statue
of Ozymandias serves as a symbol of human pride, arrogance, and the inevitable
decline of empires and civilizations.
5. **Diction**: Shelley's
choice of words, such as "colossal," "despair,"
"wreck," and "decay," adds to the overall tone and
atmosphere of the poem.
6. **Enjambment**: The poem
utilizes enjambment, where sentences and phrases flow from one line to the next
without a pause, creating a sense of continuous movement and momentum.
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