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Class 12 Alternative English Chapter 6 Ozymandias of Egypt
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Ozymandias of Egypt
Chapter: 1
POETRY
COMPREHENSION |
A. Answer in one or two words.
1. Which king is referred to in the poem ‘Ozymandias of Egypt’?
Ans: King Ramesses.
2. What type of a poem is ‘Ozymandias of Egypt’?
Ans: Sonnet.
3. Who is the speaker in the poem?
Ans: Shelley, the traveller and the king are the speakers in the poem.
4. Who tells the poet about the shattered statue?
Ans: The traveller.
5. Name the collection of poetry in which ‘Ozymandias of Egypt’ got first published.
Ans: The Examiner.
B. Answer in a few words.
1. What is the rhyme scheme of ‘Ozymandias of Egypt’?
Ans: Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem Ozymandias follows the rhyme scheme ABABACDCEDEFEF, which is a variation of the traditional Petrarchan sonnet structure.
2. What is ironic about the inscription on the pedestal of Ozymandias’s statue?
Ans: The inscription on Ozymandias’ statue is deeply ironic because it proudly declares the king’s greatness, yet all that remains of his empire is a broken, forgotten monument. This contrast reminds us that no matter how powerful someone may be, time eventually erases all traces of their rule, showing the fleeting nature of human achievements.
3. What is the only thing remaining in the vast desert?
Ans: The trunkless legs, the visage and the words on the pedestal.
4. Who was Ozymandias?
Ans: Ozymandias was a powerful king of Egypt. He was proud and arrogant. He claimed himself to be the king of kings. Ozymandias lived with the belief that other mighty rulers would not be able to attain his greatness.
5. What quality of Ozymandias does the narrator represent?
Ans: The poem reflects upon the king’s grand delusions of his own power and might which he thought could be immortalised in stone. However it proved to be only wishful thinking because all that remained of that statue was a colossal wreck.
C. Answer briefly in your own words.
1. Write a brief note on the theme of ‘transience of power’ as discussed in the poem.
Ans: The inscription on the pedestal of Ozymandias statue says I am Ozymandias, the king of kings, look on my works, ye mighty and despair. This suggests that the king was very boastful, vain and arrogant. He thought that his kingdom would remain forever. But his kingdom was nowhere to be seen and even his own statue was in a dilapidated state. He failed to realise that life is ephemeral.
2. ‘The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed’. Whose hand and heart has the poet referred to in this line?
Ans: The ‘hand’ refers to the sculptor’s hand and the ‘heart’ refers to the King’s heart.
3. How does the poet describe the expression on Ozymandias’s face?
Ans: The face of the ‘Ozymandias’ statue was shattered. The sculptor was such a skilful artist that the expressions on his face were still very clear. They showed frown and hostility on the face of the statue which revealed that he looked down upon others and was an arrogant and boastful king.
D. Answer in detail.
1. Bring out the central idea contained in the poem’ Ozymandias of Egypt’ by P.B. Shelley.
Ans: The central idea of Ozymandias by P.B. Shelley is the inevitable decline of power and the impermanence of human achievements. The poem highlights the arrogance of rulers who believe their legacy will last forever, only to be forgotten by time. Ozymandias, once a mighty king, had a grand statue built to showcase his power, but now it lies in ruins in a vast, empty desert. This contrast between his boastful words and the reality of his forgotten empire emphasizes the transient nature of human pride, power, and material accomplishments. Through this, Shelley conveys the message that no ruler or empire, no matter how great, can withstand the passage of time.
2. Identify the figures of speech in the poem.
Ans: The key figures of speech in Ozymandias are:
(i) Irony: The proud inscription contrasts with the ruined statue, showing the impermanence of power.
(ii) Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds (e.g., “The lone and level sands stretch far away.”).
(iii) Metaphor: The broken statue symbolizes the decline of human power.
(iv) Imagery: Vivid descriptions create strong mental pictures (e.g., “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone…”).
(v) Enjambment: Sentences flow beyond line breaks for emphasis.

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