Question 1: Read the opening lines: 'I met a traveller from an antique land who said: / Two vast and trunkless legs of stone / Stand in the desert...'. What is Shelley suggesting about the remains of Ozymandias and the passage of time?

Answer: Shelley suggests that physical remnants like the statue's legs symbolize the fleeting nature of human achievements and the inevitable decay over time.

Question 2: Examine the line: 'Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'. How does this quotation reflect Ozymandias’s attitude towards his power, and what is the irony here?

Answer: Ozymandias’s boast reflects arrogance and confidence, but the irony is that his works have crumbled, making the boast meaningless, highlighting the transient nature of power.

Question 3: Identify and analyze the metaphor in the phrase: 'boundless and bare / The lone and level sands stretch far away.'

Answer: The 'boundless and bare sands' symbolize the vastness of time and nature’s dominance over human constructs, emphasizing the insignificance of Ozymandias’s empire.

Question 4: Select a line that demonstrates Shelley’s use of imagery to depict decay. Explain its effect on the reader.

Answer: Lines like 'Shattered visage' evoke visual imagery of ruin, reinforcing themes of decay and the inevitable decline of even the most powerful rulers.

Question 5: Quote Explosion: 'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: / Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'. Analyze the significance of this quote in terms of power and pride.

Answer: This quote reveals Ozymandias’s arrogance and desire for eternal fame, but the context shows his hubris is ultimately futile as his empire has fallen, illustrating the transient nature of power.

Question 6: How does Shelley use the imagery of the 'colossal Wreck' to comment on human achievement?

Answer: The 'colossal Wreck' symbolizes the grandeur that has decayed, highlighting the theme that human achievements are temporary and subject to the forces of nature and time.

Question 7: Discuss how Shelley’s use of the desert setting influences the overall mood of the poem.

Answer: The desert setting creates a stark, desolate mood, emphasizing themes of abandonment and the impermanence of human endeavors, and underscores the insignificance of Ozymandias’s empire in the vastness of time.

Question 8: Compare the portrayal of power in 'Ozymandias' with that in 'My Last Duchess'. How do both poems explore the theme of control?

Answer: Both poems depict rulers with a desire for control—Ozymandias through his boastful statue and pride, and the Duke through his possessiveness and manipulation. Shelley’s poem emphasizes the futility of power over time, while Browning’s explores personal control and insecurity.

Question 9: Identify two language devices Shelley uses to evoke a sense of decay and their effects.

Answer: Shelley uses imagery like 'shattered visage' and metaphors such as 'colossal Wreck' to evoke decay, creating a visual sense of ruin that emphasizes the impermanence of human achievements.

Question 10: What message does Shelley convey about power and legacy through the poem?

Answer: Shelley suggests that all human power is temporary and that true legacy is ultimately fleeting; nature and time will erode even the greatest monuments.

Question 11: Plan a comparative paragraph discussing how Shelley and Browning present the theme of power in their poems, referencing key quotes and techniques.

Answer: Students should compare Shelley's depiction of the impermanence of power with Browning’s exploration of personal control. Include references to language devices, tone, and imagery, citing specific quotes like 'Look on my works' and Browning’s 'My Last Duchess'.