Ozymandias - P. B. Shelley (Powerful Life Poetry)

Read by Vincent Price
Music by Slow Meadow
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Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the most highly regarded and influential poets of the 19th century. Shelley's poem “Ozymandias” famously describes a ruined statue of an ancient king in an empty desert.
This ambiguous ode carries between its folds heaps of philosophical matters; the poet uses a shattered statue to highlight the ephemeral nature of fame, vanity and power.
Nothing lasts forever. Glory, reputation, conquests or occupations, everything will come to an end eventually.

[@grandmasterjayd1184]

I just realized Ozymandias is being told from the perspective of a man recalling the story of another man who saw the ruins. He’s that forgotten.

[@quinnsine1650]

The man is named Diodorus Siculus, and when Percy says that he met a man from an antique land, what he means is he read this account of the statue in a book and is relaying it to the reader

[@JB-mb1ro]

Good point

[@preciousbees5721]

like I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy, but time, distances us from his great works that only lasted his time... Some great works

[@adriansteele7023]

Thrice forgotten or thrice remembered

[@mr.badwolf7356]

Well nearly forgotten. Ozymandias was Ramses the Great

[@sammomin8115]

Shelley wrote this poem against an important historical backdrop: Napoleon was ruling France and King George III was ruling England. Both rulers were wreaking havoc on the world and Shelley meant to remind them of their destiny.

[@priyanshubaranwal363]

Really? Is that true?

[@drac4932]

@@priyanshubaranwal363 mhm Shelley was a pacifist and hated the way conquerers were running the world he lived in, and wrote the poem as a callback to the fate of King Rameses II of egypt, who is directly mentioned as Ozymandias

[@severusfloki5778]

@@drac4932 What era was that

[@drac4932]

@@severusfloki5778 i honestly dont know the era, or who you're asking about, but its a pretty easy google as both their names are there

[@sammomin8115]

@@severusfloki5778 Shelly wrote the poem in or around 1815 but published later.

[@its_leyl.a]

"The earth is littered with kingdoms that once though they were immortal"

[@Mattsta2010]

impermanece of all things. The Tao knew, The Stoics knew.. Ancient wisdom has much truth. Please read it, important now as it was then.

[@NavidIsANoob]

Just like the United States thinks itself immortal today.

[@paramasivamsivakumar1093]

Supper

[@nalapala_]

@@NavidIsANoob history repeats itself i guess that’s a universal law

[@Red0543]

@@NavidIsANoob Hear hear... One of my best friends (who’s American) claimed with certainty that “When America falls, the world will end.” When I pointed out that every empire in the world (from the Babylonian Empire to the Soviet Union) claimed the same thing he became very, very quiet...

[@swolejeezy2603]

The point of this poem is that in the end, no one will know or care who you were and what you did. Ozymandias, Ramses the Great, was the king of kings in his day, a god; and even he is forgotten. Quite literally the sands of time have buried him and his city, and whatever good he did is lost to time. Nothing beside remains.

[@vanhminglianitochhawng3209]

In my poem assiagnmet,they asked me what the theme is and o said 'powerful people's power wouldn't last forever',is that kind of correct?

[@swolejeezy2603]

Vanhmingliani Tochhawng Yeah, that no mark you could make on the world is permanent. The universe always overgrows humans

[@milesfort2193]

Swole Jeezy then how is that motivation? You do things nobody has ever seen, you work through blood sweat and tears and pain, and your gonna tell me that in the end it’s all useless?

[@Carter-xy7fs]

@@milesfort2193 There is a video on youtube somewhere which describes a philosophy called Optimistic Nihilism. This poem is quite obviously nihilistic, but I would argue that because all things end, both the good and the bad, you may as well enjoy the ride.

[@theJDfromCA]

This is the comment that should be pinned. The current one totally misses the mark.

[@tellntales4750]

The right poetry, the right music, and the right voice. The three aspects that can change a heart, all used together, change many hearts. Keep doing more of these poems. They deserve to be told with such power.

[@schmidtythekidd]

My favorite adaptation kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYHPhHtso5hqqtU

[@Flaming_penguin]

@@schmidtythekidd Love that one, Breaking Bad is such a good show! They used that adaptation as a promo

[@user-zm4bx8yx6t]

Please I need to know the name of the music

[@tellntales4750]

@@user-zm4bx8yx6t Lamellophone and the Gulf of Mexico by Slow Meadow

[@cap4081]

I've always loved this poem

[@chancellorpalpatine4035]

peace leader i love it because it’s a poem that sums up the futility of ego in less than a paragraph. Ozzymandius obviously believed his works would stand forever instead his monument only discourages others from similar ideals. If this “King of kings” lays forgotten in the desert what hope do other “great men” have of their monuments to their own vanity.

[@jennymulhall816]

Me too. It’s full of sadness and prophecy. The words fall deliciously on the ear. Have a lovely day. ❤️

[@Tamoor622498]

To me, it has many means. On of them is that we will be remembers by our actions, but only through the lens of other people. Much like all of history. The face in the sand had a "sneer of cold command" not because of Ozymandias, but because "its sculptor well those passions read". Ozymandias may have had the statue built, but the sculptor 'immortalized' him as cold through history. This theme is also present at the very start of the poem where the narrator heard this entire scene from someone else, again we no way of telling what the truth is except for what we are told. The most prevalent theme is impermanence, no matter how great we are, history will turn us to dust.

[@drexlwashingtonian2978]

No you didn’t

[@savagehunter3368]

And I never did

[@life-hardenedschoolstudent2284]

_"My name is Homo Sapien, Hominid of hominids; Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"_ -Exurb1a

[@JCarrera27]

Ah I see you're a man of culture as well

[@altairrising]

In which video does he say that?

[@life-hardenedschoolstudent2284]

@@altairrising we're the last humans left

[@annatjajajugana6727]

🙂

[@raytracer2651]

Opening scene of 2001 a space Odyssey comes to mind.

[@uraveragehoovy]

This poem is a beautiful reminder of the fragile and often short-lived nature of power. Regardless of how powerful you were, how wealthy you were, how charismatic or great, no man can escape the paradoxically cruel yet universally fair fate that awaits at the end of the line. Once you’re gone it isn’t your fortune, fame, or strength that puts you in the history books, but rather your effect on the world. That is to say, you aren’t defined by what you had, you were defined by what you did with it.

[@jaz3ee]

No one could've read this better than Vincent Price. Powerful yet soothing voice.

[@adamtodd352]

Beloved Vincent Price - always loved his voice

[@craigfoulkes]

I've just been taken back many years to watching the mask of the red death

[@Jpk1000]

Bravo vince

[@kd1683]

Had to see what this was all about from Sad-ist

[@sudipto4447]

me too man

[@kd1683]

@@sudipto4447 the poem is really cool

[@matiassilva713]

What if Ozymandias knew of this and was warning us? Despair, look at all my work, forgotten by time, despair, for it is impossible to remain. Look upon my work, despair, for there is nothing to see.

[@helloMRdj1]

**existential crysis increasing**

[@0Havianas]

but the time live Ozymandias, he is lives well, so many lives bad time

[@severusfloki5778]

@@helloMRdj1 Don’t let it get to you. Being a doomer is rational but miserable. Get your head out of it.

[@wilsonduplessis7139]

@@severusfloki5778 wow. Sometimes simple advice is the best. I suppose it is rational to look at all the deadlines and news pieces and death and think how horrible everything is but, we only live once I guess it is better to roll with the punches and take life seriously, but not yourself as much.

[@severusfloki5778]

@@wilsonduplessis7139 Yes! Except I would say it is important to take yourself seriously for it to translate into a good life. You have to love yourself, but not enough to "overthink" yourself into apathy. Let your self-love be one of actions. Conquer what you can, knowing that you have nothing to lose anyways-yes it’s temporary, yes it’s meaningless, yes you’ll be forgotten... but what do you want? Do the most with this unidealistic existence we were offered. The ony alternative to it is being a loser AND be forgotten even quicker.

[@nowhereman6019]

Vincent Price is good in literally everything he does.

[@haniaatif3102]

The background melody and the man's voice gave me chills.

[@sudipto4447]

Big thanks to Sad-ist for showing us this wonderful piece of art!!

[@ToibiDoesStuff]

the fact that you had the bravery to say this in the face of people probably going to comment "ew dream stan" amazes me /gen

[@jhayworth1234]

YESSIR SHEEEEEE-

[@okie956]

YES AGREED

[@okie956]

@@ToibiDoesStuff yeah. But like how can you not its SADIST

[@LZARD_-fd7yy]

Yes. thank you @Sad-ist for making a artwork

[@Redwoodtree34567]

Vincent Price's recitation is so powerful, peaceful, liberating and mesmerizing.

[@Pompadourius]

So I'm not very knowledgeable in poems, but I think that from among the ones I've read/listened to, this one is my favorite. It's such a powerful message, and so iconic.

[@howiestones4985]

I actually find the poem very motivating, and freeing. My interpretation is that Shelley points to fragility and meaninglessness in fighting for status and power in of it self. Ozymandias is building his story of his own greatness, clinging on to the ide of who he is, tryng to create security and pemanence in an universe of inpermanence. Eventually it is all swept away, but some feeble ruins, which now almost comicaly serves as a reminder of Ozymandias ignorance. For me this does not mean that nothing matters. It points to just being natural, feet on the ground. It points to that we are all vulnrable beeings, and in this we are all the same. It points to the possibility of dropping the false security of power and status, and embracing reality, the humbling reality of death, vulnrability and impermanence, which we all share. For me the last sentence "Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare, The lone and level sands stretch far away.”, is an invitation to stepping away from the constructing and defence of a story of who you are (the wreck) and into the eternal nature, and discovering the wast boundless nature that lives in all of us (consciousness). So it is motivating in an spiritual sense.

[@robhamrick2273]

Yeah, tho it’s a very bleak poem, it’s also very zen. In that, people shouldn’t sweat the small stuff enjoy and be grateful for what u have because inevitably it will be gone. Therefore this poem helps keep me grounded in a strange way.

[@onurubu]

Idk if it’s an intended interpretation but I also like how although the “empire” of ozymandias is gone and the power he once must have had is irrelevant, the art that the sculptor made still remains and is given notice to its quality. Fighting for status and power for itself is shown as meaningless, but the fact that art and creation and mastery can last is very motivational to me.

[@60sspider-man29]

@@onurubu power structures fall but art is ever lasting. I like it.

[@mtlewis973]

i disagree, it’s a warning against hubris. it’s essentially a memento mori, it even has a shattered visage.

[@Gettingback997]

Shelly should have added something to the effect that he was part of an empire and benefited from conquest , or else he would be toiling and not having time to think these things and write these lines. In a way he too was Ozy

[@celtglen]

There is no mistaking the voice of Price nor the words of Shelley. Oh to have those voices among us today.

[@frederickthompson2697]

The mellifluous tones of Vincent Price add so much, to my mind, to this great life lesson. Thanks. F.

[@alphonseelric7361]

A masterpiece which transcends all time!

[@alexhughes6154]

I find myself listening to this poem quiet regularly, I have no idea why it resonates with me so much or why I'm drawn to it. I find it truly beautiful

[@slowneutron6163]

Prolly the best string of words ever put together by a human being.

[@tirame001]

You’ve never heard who let the dogs out?

[@santanugmail]

These childhood poems are all coming back to life, coming back to me again.

[@navibobo8499]

I met a traveller from an antique land, Who said-“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand, Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed; And on the pedestal, these words appear: My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

[@Beao1988]

even the greatest deeds of us will not withstand the hardship of time , what whose written on stone will eventually disappear , time has the best formula to eradicate the best and worst actions in our frail lives ...

[@ghalibiqbalsheriff8314]

"Ozymandias" is Shelley's great canvas of the maze of time, space, corporeality, consciousness. And, this is a stunning audio-visual work on it. -G. I. Sheriff

[@NightTimeDay]

No need to quote yourself on KZbin, lol.

[@Myrdden71]

It's Magnificent to hear Vincent Price read this great poem! Thank you for posting this!

[@swarasreebhattacharyya2664]

I recited this poem in one of my school competition.. this brought back those sweet memories 🥰

[@rishabhrockstar5739]

I read this one in school, this poem is so great that it became a symbol for BREAKING BAD and made the Greatest Episode Ever....

[@terencecronin1436]

Vincent Prices sonorous, precise diction and timing of emphasis give this sonnet a haunting quality which echoes across time.

[@racelradic6463]

After this recital, I can’t recover for long. The lyrics, the voice, the music and above all the point,/poenta/ it all shook me to the bottom. Thank you for giving me the depth of that knowledge.

[@LuckyBird551]

No matter how amazing or great you were, and what you left in this world, everything passes, everything will be forgotten eventually, nothing lasts forever. Entropy wins, Entropy always wins.

[@jaybonn5973]

Omitting I just noticed is the inscription on the plaque is a microcosm of the role of art in society because it has one meaning, to express glory of the king and instill fear into those who dare object his magnificence, as all great statues do. But it also carries another rmeaning only found after years of decay. Despair both means look on with fear and in a sense, barren nothingness. While the plaque was referring to the king at the time, in the current time it's saying look at what's left after all is said and done. Heros are born and villains die but time outlines all of it and what is left to show for but despair. So really, art changes over time. It gains new meaning with new contexts.

[@LaMeruteJordavoin]

ويبقى وجه ربك ذو الجلال والإكرام

[@usamazafar1306]

This poem was part of my High school English Syllabus. A master piece indeed !

[@janellepowles660]

So powerful. I remember studying this one in junior high school. But hearing it read by Vincent Price is just the best.❤

[@sandyadkins2637]

Vincent Price his voice will never be forgotten ✨✨✨

[@adityasurve8106]

I'm speechless, what a masterpiece of phrases. 👍👍👍 Very very powerfully recited.👍👍👍

[@luisyandel5868]

I remember hearing the fragment of ozymandias' saying from a character named David in Prometheus who had contempt for humans and the supposed creators of human kind and sought to destroy them, which he succeeded and before killing them said, "My name is Ozymandias king of kings, look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"

[@VegaSirius]

Its so much more layered than that. The movie is actually Alien: Covenant, and David, who is a robot, destroyed the creators of mankind because he believed he, as the creator of the xenomorph, was above humans and their creator. However, when reciting the poem whilst commiting genocide, he credits the poem to Byron instead of Shelley, showing his flaws as he destroys those who he thinks he is superior to. Those movies are incredibly layered, and David is one of the best movie villians ever. God, the two Alien prequels are criminally underrated.

[@jinkhazama4114]

David is actually addressing the engineers that even they cannot match him

[@mycutelittlebunnyarmy]

I’ve just come across your page and I’m so thankful. Everything about your videos is epic. Congratulations and thank you!

[@floriancrozier4709]

Well done. makes you stop and think about what it all means.

[@johnsierra8537]

I am so glad that I subscribed to this channel. Such great pieces of work I love the music, his strong yet subtle voice. Everything in this video is just right.

[@zoyablake9538]

A beautiful poem, stunningly narrated. Thank you for sharing.

[@iainholmes2735]

Such a brilliant poem, so beautifully read by Vincent. Reminds me of the quote: ' the graveyards are full of indispensable people'.

[@pottersmiles7238]

The voice of Vincent Price! Great

[@Andrew-gv6br]

“I watched Jane die”...

[@Flaming_penguin]

also here from breaking bad

[@harikrishnan-xk6tr]

10/10

[@jon_doe4763]

I could have saved her... But i didn't

[@magicwirzard]

I'm so incredibly glad this is read by Vincent price !

[@elijahsbeard9860]

Come my friend ti's not to late to seek a newer world for our purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset... Tennyson. Thankyou for your work in these hard times 👍❤️

[@bettybutler3327]

Love Vincent Price and his voice

[@AcidRainAgain]

That's my poem. You're goddamn right!

[@dlperk5035]

Beautiful interpretation by Vincent Price...

[@travelion.5254]

I always wanted such voice to recite poems.

[@infinitesaturation1961]

The lone and level sands stretch far away 💜🖤

[@old8235]

Best reading i've heard. Thanx mr. Price

[@L.V.T234]

I think we can interpret this in a modern setting as you shouldn't take life too seriously for we all shall be forgotten, so enjoy this moment and don't let egotistic ambition or desire of material things cloud a benevolent life

[@John-tc9gp]

Like tears in rain

[@DarthDuck404]

Another great quote about how all is forgotten.

[@letters_from_paradise]

This is, in my opinion, the finest poem ever written.

[@justko2909]

Bro this is great another 1 been in my playlist, please create more of these even if you have 💯 views, I will always save these to my playlist. Love and 🙏.

[@turdferguson8704]

The fact that Vincent Price is narrating this makes it exponentially better if that is even possible

[@mostlynull]

Not sure how a poem about the impermanence and futility of all things is supposed to be inspiring, but hey. This is one of my favourite poems.

[@johnconstantine5228]

I remember reading this poem in 6th grade english book. Brings back nostalgia

[@orisaorisa2143]

I like it,the poem is classic ,the poetry performed everything is the impermanence, suffering and nonself or unwholesome.

[@stylusfantasticus]

There is a kind of magic during these 2:17 seconds of this specific artistic manifestation....marvellous!

[@alytical9803]

I am reading this poem in class 8. For me. Ozymandias signifies that "Nothing is permanent in this, world of decay."

[@saveferris1985]

My favorite poem by my favorite poet!

[@mattwashington6400]

Song name is: Lamellophone and the Gulf of Mexico

[@calicoD]

Thank you !!

[@davidreames384]

Thank you!

[@craigfoulkes]

Great reading by Vincent Price

[@arteniteodor1792]

Anyone else here from Sadist ?

[@alexpainter4169]

It doesn't matter what we accomplish, what we create, who we conquer. In the end, the sands of time will render our accomplishments to dust in the endless desert of history.

[@2serveand2protect]

Absolutely fantastic!

[@kirandeepchakraborty7921]

Nothing short of marvellous ❤

[@graveyardghost2603]

Shelley, my favorite poet.

[@doubles6508]

Put goosebumps down my arms listening to this

[@PantheraTK]

Hands down amazing channel.

[@poontang8895]

Vincent Price..... such a unique voice

[@Curators]

Remarkably well done one of my favourite poetic piece

[@Longdi_the_farmer]

I listen to it every night To remind myself of how humble I should be 🙏🏼

[@tedtombling2770]

The advert at the beginning is worth a watch! Entertaining.

[@brianpeters7847]

There is one who lived 2000 years ago.. What he did and how he did it is still so fresh And all he preached was for us to care for each other...

[@tejgamer092]

I have this poem for my 8th grade exam it really moved me once I understood the meaning

[@davidian0616]

Dear Lord, this is astounding...

[@muscledog666]

We are only here for a short time. What we build is legacy What we are is stories. Stories that stir the sands.

[@earthterra8546]

I love this poem so much

[@Op-zf4ls]

This filled out the empty gap's of my mind thank you

[@thecriticalscholar8680]

The irony of the poem lies in the contrast between the grandiose boast of the inscription and the desolate reality of the ruined statue. Despite Ozymandias' claims of greatness and power, all that remains of his empire are broken ruins in the desert, surrounded by empty sands.

[@wesb8159]

This is by far the best rendition of the poem. Yes, there are a couple of videos out there with better visuals and the powerful voice of Mr. Cranston. But in those videos and / or renditions, the narrator does not take the time to tell the story. They go thru in a rush. Mr. Price knew how to take his time to capture the audience and take them on a journey

[@saaofficial5415]

One of the very few school syllabus poems I actually remember...

[@Alexander-tu3iv]

"RedFrost MOTIVATION" -posts poem about even the greatest among us being forgotten and our greatest achievements being carried away by time and the desert sands. Thanks dude I feel really motivated now.

[@bajiraosingham9495]

Alexander The Normal

[@MELODIOUSDHARMASOUND]

“If every 8-year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.” - Dalai Lama

[@SiliconBong]

Mr. Lama might be right 'bout that.

[@lanesmith1465]

Then he underestimates the vile nature of people.

[@johnsmith-vk6sf]

@@lanesmith1465 I agree. You can raise kids with all the love and ethics ever known but there will always be a small percentage who are born psychopaths.

[@kensyskye8965]

Melodious Dharma Sound I think meditation alone would not.....We need our children to value every form of life before anything else......✌🏻

[@kensyskye8965]

Lane Smith you are people.......Are you admitting to having a vile nature?

[@dimitrioskaragiannis1169]

Amazing work !!! Thank you .

[@syamlal3437]

That voice! ❤️

[@abhayabhilash7679]

Nature is more powerful than anyone.

[@Alexmicheal1]

“I was not made to serve” -David

[@dhargetezan]

I find it hard to explain just how meaningful this is to me of late.

[@universohispano]

Thank you.

[@utkarshdwivedi6600]

Goosebumps ❤️

[@juansecastillo5535]

Amo ese poema, a pensar de la barrera del idioma siempre los sigo. Me gustaría ver algún día una traducción de poemas hispanos.

[@annjuurinen6553]

Antonio Machado - Last night as I was sleeping...

[@mirhossain6570]

Still my favourite