Romanticism primarily struck English artistic, literary, and intellectual culture at a time of reform and political upheaval, coinciding with the age of revolution. This period of change allowed for the revisitation and revision of medieval works, transforming them primarily into subjective poetry emphasizing the depths of the poets' psychology. The emphasis on emotions rather than logic brought exploration into the realms of fantasy and imagination, in addition to an unbridled passion for nature and ancient relics of the past. “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley exemplifies these qualities of the Romantic era and serves as an example of literary Romanticism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay According to its title, this poem is about what remains of Ozymandias, the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II, and the vestiges of his legacy based on the image of his statue collapsing in the desert. The poem first begins with a general view of the statue - two severed stone legs and a ruined face resting in the sand - before delving into more detailed descriptions such as the stern expression on the statue's face and the inscription on its pedestal. The engraved words present a proclamation of pride: Ozymandias was the “King of kings” and all who come across what remains of him should tremble and “despair” at his might. This statement, unfortunately, falls on deaf ears and is only greeted by the vast and lonely expanse of desert sands ahead. “Ozymandias” is told from the perspective of a speaker who encounters a traveler with a story to share and recalls the details of said traveler's tale. This poem primarily consists of the character quoting the traveler's words, with the former speaking only very briefly to provide context for how the latter fits into the rest of the poem. Therefore, there is little or no description of how this speaker felt toward Ozymandias. However, the second speaker in this poem, the traveler, sheds more light on his attitude towards what he witnessed during his journey. Despite the statue's decaying face, the traveler notices how Ozymandias' eroded sneer has been "mocked" by the sculptor's hands, making it appear as if everything is eventually turning to dust. This poem is a sonnet written as a block of text in iambic pentameter. There are 14 lines, irregular and continuous, following an ABABACDCEDEFEF rhyme scheme. This poetic form conveys power and might, especially when read aloud, and creates a feeling of lyricism. The poem then recalls a parable or lament, expressing deep emotion and presenting a moral lesson. Likewise, the use of figurative devices is also used to convey meaning in this poem. There are extremely strong images in the descriptions of the broken statue, demonstrating the significance of its broken state and detailed carvings. Apart from this, the use of assonance in "an ancient land" of line 1 and alliteration in the "cold command" of line 5 emphasize the respective mystique of the distant lands and the stiffness in the expression of 'Ozymandias. “Ozymandias” has many themes found in romanticism. poems, such as exoticism, mystery, strong emotions, irony and criticism of a higher authority. The descriptions of the stark desert and the implications of the "ancient land" represent the Romantics' strong fascination with nature, which led the traveler to discover the statue of Ozymandias. Although it was perhaps a representation of strength and.