Ozymandias

My sister totally told me about this poem back a million years ago when she was in high school. Freaky, yo. Who knew we'd still be studying the same old poetry a million years later?

This poem features a little snippet of synechdoche, which gives me just the perfect opportunity to answer question 11. The example that I'm referring to is the head of Ozymandias. In this case, it's a statue, but for my purposes, the head stands for the whole Ozymandias. The important part of this comparison is that the facial expression on Ozymandias's face is that of a "sneer of cold command." This very facial expression stands for Ozymandias's entire personality: he was a cruel and authoritative king who sought glory through the oppression of his people. And therefore, Ozymandias stands as a symbol for all tyrants and oppressors. The speaker is stating that though they may accrue temporary glory, their accomplishments will result in nothing if the people hate them, because all people will die, and when the tyrant has died, then there is no fear left to keep the people under control. However, a benevolent king will stay within the hearts and minds of his subjects long after his death, held up by love and respect. Thus, the poem is not simply ripping on Ozymandias, but is demonstrating the proper way to rule a nation.

This is not even Ozymandias. This is just a head.