Understanding "Ozymandias"

A college prof explains the poem, line by line :-)

[@NostalgiNorden]

A bit ironic that a poem about the fact that nothing lasts forever might be the work that most people remember Percy Shelly by.

[@bobbieboe]

Maybe, "Love's Philosophy"?

[@lillianfouhy8093]

Ironically this king is now forever on view in the museum so in a way he has achiveved immortal recognition...

[@ShreddedSteel]

@@lillianfouhy8093 That is a great example of irony

[@rblxcreator1262]

@@lillianfouhy8093 who give a damn to those trunkless legs of nothingness

[@bobpoems7152]

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair

[@Paslayas]

this is the way I like poetry explained, clear and put in a historical context and content.

[@BossCrazyRoss]

The video of bryan cranston reading this just makes you shudder

[@bobbyholt4364]

If you want to see a recital that "mocks" Cranston's, see Harry Melling's rendition in the movie "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" on Netflix. It is at the beginning of the third vignette titled "Meal Ticket". Melling adds a sorrow to the work that overshadows the all greats who have done Ozymandias.

[@davidian0616]

Prefer that to Vincent Price's rendition?

[@demongo2007]

I've always had a different interpretation of the line "Look on my works ye mighty and despair." tl;dr: Ozymandias is telling us from the grave: “All glory is fleeting." Of course obviously Ozymandias is boasting of his power and showing the world (during his time) that he should be feared by even the mighty. But I've also looked on the line from the perspective of a warning to all those who consider themselves mighty in the future. "Look on my works, ye mighty and despair"--because now all my great works are dust and ruin, and such is what will happen to all in the future, even those among you who count yourself "mighty". Not that Ozymandias meant this during his time, only that now, with the perspective of history, it can be thought of as a message from the past that all power and prestige ultimately is ephemeral. And if you think you're mighty now, just wait. I was mighty, but look what happened to all my works. Despair, as all your mighty works will turn to dust just as mine have.

[@baburajankalluveettilanarg2222]

Wonderful 🙏

[@purefoldnz3070]

King of Kings. Could this be a reference to Ramesses II II from the bible and the poem reference to being insignificant next to god?

[@abhiramboralkar5782]

I agree with this.

[@paddyhalligan28]

Always loved this poem. However did Ozymandias foresee his legacy in ruins or were they added subsequently.

[@davidprzepiora1389]

Look on my works and despair for nought besides remains ..this was the voice of Ozymandias as he had it carved in stone.He was not being phylosophical. He was boastfully claiming to have done it all and any contender miight as well give up as there was nothing they could do to equal his greatness.

[@duckman12569]

"The heart that mocked them" Well, I didn't take it the way you did. Taught me something. Liked.

[@JstJaybeingJay]

The hand that mocked them

[@iainholmes2735]

Enjoyed this analysis. I remember reading an interview with a tv/radio presenter here in the UK. He was very famous, and was asked to discuss the nature of fame and success. He was so perceptive, and knew it would be fleeting. He gave two quotes that I always remember: 'Who talks with Napoleon now? Nobody'. And 'The wind will blow away your footsteps in the sands of time'.

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Very wise. I will remember these!

[@sammomin8115]

Hi professor, there is one more point I would like to add. Shelley wrote the poem against a very special historical backdrop in 1815, i.e. at the time of two despotic rulers in Europe: Napoleon of France and King George III of England. Both were wreaking havoc on the world and Shelley wanted to carry a message to them.

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Thank you for adding this valuable info! I always love to learn more!

[@kenmorley2339]

Hello Professor , I would like to add that the poem refers to Lord Byron .

[@olamarvin]

Great explanation, well done. I thought I knew it, but you brought out a lot of detail I had glossed over, like "mocked" referring to the making of the statue.

[@sashapave9400]

Thank you for a timeless lesson. May your scholarship outlive the sands of time!

[@jesusmendoza2040]

This lady is a lifesaver. Thank you so much for uploading.

[@majane21]

"The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed." I read it as being what the sculptor put into the work and is now visible, giving detail to the previous sentence. This, at the time, awesome ruler who regarded them as nothing while feeding his greatness with them.

[@GilbertFarmer]

Excellent and easily understanable analysis of this beautiful poem. Thank you!

[@pacetivity]

Your analysis of poetry is always so calm, informative, and all in all lovely to hear (and watch, ha) thank you for your efforts!

[@Tavaloux]

i watched this 3 times within a month, great poem and explanation. thank you

[@darkashtar]

This is one of the few pieces of literature that has stuck with me throughout my life that I just connect with. In highschool literature a few stories and other work stay in my mind. This poem, Things Fall Apart, and Great Expectations.

[@daisyx606]

A little analysis: Everything is gone of this statue apart from the parts that matter - his head and legs and the message on the pedestal. His head tells the message that you need your knowledge and mind to succeed in life. His legs tell the message that no matter what happens to you, you just need to keep going forward - don't give up! And the physical message on the pedestal which is maybe boasting, yes, but maybe warning future rulers that they will all be forgotten eventually. However, maybe he is saying that in order to be remembered, you need to use your head and your legs (or mental legs) to show the world that you are powerful and mighty for the right reasons. Sorry if this is confusing! I was just watching the video and those ideas came to my mind so I had to write them here! Thanks for reading this if you did, and have a great day!!

[@avamiranda8505]

Thank you so much! My teacher kept yelling at us for not understanding this but you are so thoughtful and thorough with your explanations, it really helps!

[@kafkajam8993]

Ava miranda....I am teacher I am going to teach this tomorrow....Thank you for your thoughtful insight.. I hope i wont make the same mistakes of yelling at them for not understanding this poem😊

[@Mikemikemike13579]

Great video! I love this poem and was searching for an in-depth explanation of it-- Found it!

[@holly-maerobinson3883]

Ahhhhh thank u so much for this , I’m cramming for GCSEs which start in a few days and nothing was going in but now it is and you make sense with no rambling on , just clear explanations which is really useful for a dyslexic as we have processing difficulties, this is one of the most confusing poems and you’ve cracked ittttttt

[@faramanuel604]

You are a gem. Thanks for posting this!

[@X87816]

Great explanation. You always succeed in making poetry accessible to laymen like me. Thank you so much.

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Andre D You're welcome! :-)

[@user-co4pm1sn3f]

hi! i am Japanese university student studying English lit. your video helped me writing a homework of this poem! thank you!!

[@heavenbailey6450]

Thank you for explaining the poem i love how you explain it to were we are able to actually understand.

[@jeffhreid]

It’s a brilliantly constructed poem, one of my favorites

[@johnlovorn5413]

Thanks for your review. Words withstand the test of time.

[@vonderasche2963]

Thank you for your insight, it gave me a deeper appreciation for this poem

[@EyeLean5280]

Thanks for your commentary, especially about the acquisition of the statue's head. It reminds me that while I was backpacking through Europe, my companions and I would joke that the British Museum should really have been named, "Shit We Stole from Everywhere."

[@gurnoorarora1255]

thanks for the brilliant explaination :D

[@meditationandnature2500]

Spellbinding stuff... Powerful elaboration and done with such good smile which makes it all the more strong and beautiful... Love it... 💘

[@georgelawrence2570]

Superlative presentation. Thank you for your time and effort.

[@cyrinebat8159]

thank you for your explanation.......i study in university in morocco.during the cours i though that this poem is so difficult but you make it so clear for me ...thank you so much

[@jeffbaxter8770]

BION, I read this poem for the first time only 1 week ago, so this vid was very well timed for me. Thank you so much.

[@carloshortuvia5988]

One of the best analysis , I’ve seen so far.

[@girinpathak3188]

Simply , Excellent.

[@baburajankalluveettilanarg2222]

Highly impressive and imaginative narration 🙏

[@ericengstrom2138]

I find that when most people quote the poem (mostly due to references in other works), they tend to usually quote the "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" part, when it's really the next (and last) 3 lines which relay the intent of the poem. I think about this poem a lot, especially when I encounter people with inflated opinions of themselves.

[@happybird4942]

(09:00) "The Force"? Ya mean, Percy Shelley might possibly have been a Jedi? A most novel hypothesis. ; )

[@lamiaadnan2206]

Another amazing video! thank you very much.

[@beansbooksandbella5917]

Great explanation. Loved it

[@fayzaanabdul3537]

I wish you were my English teacher.. You explain this peom better than any English teacher in my school

[@johnmatthewcrane4423]

Your analysis of the line "King of kings" in the poem is interesting, and while I do agree with it to an extent, I don't think that is what Shelley meant. This is from the point of view of a history teacher, so please take that into consideration. I think he may mean it as being the King over the other kings he has conquered. Egypt had defeated Canaanite princes, made multiple successful campaigns against the Hittites which extended Egypt's sphere of influence as far as Damascus, and fought against the Nubians successfully. Many rulers back than used an indirect form of ruling where they left local leaders in place and exacted tribute from them. The Achaemenid Empire did this as well as far back as Cyrus the Great. In fact, every Achaemenid ruler since Cyrus the Great was known as King of kings, since they used satraps. The Sassanian rulers used it as well since they ruled over a number of lesser feudal kings. So, I don't think Shelley is using this as a comparison to Jesus and Christianity and saying that one day in the future even Christianity will fade into time, but I think he's using it as a superlative for "great king" or "high king" or a king who has conquered other kings/princes/rulers of different areas. I loved the video, and your analysis that all glory is fleeting, no matter how magnificent your accomplishments.

[@SixMinuteScholar]

John Matthew Crane Thank you for such a detailed insight into Shelley's language here! I enjoy this reading of the line, and I'll mention it to my students!

[@frenchimp]

King of kings was a traditional title, meaning great king, or something like emperor, used as far back as the Assirian Empire, and later, the Persian Empire, and its adoption by christians is a later development.

[@kellykitkat40]

Servant of servants. King of kings. One of many. Not, uber, above, greater than, but one selected from... many who call themselves christian are satanists, for they espouse an ideology of tyranny and abuse, claiming supremacy over others, denying the brethren. And this word servant does not mean slave - books such as niv or nwt or esv are not bibles, but satanic deceptions to be avoided.

[@TexasFriedCriminal]

Ozymandias is called "King of Kings" in Diodorus of Sicily. Which I suppose could easily be the source for both Shelley's and Smith's use of the phrase.

[@katakhresis2796]

You're being a bit of a literalist. Shelley is a poet. He knows the phrase is ambiguous outside the context of the historical Ozymandias. Multiplying meanings is what poets do. The professor was right to point it out.

[@antaresmaelstrom5365]

I've been wondering on about what it says that his statue is still there when nothing else remains. Historic events have shown that aggrandizing monuments tend to not live much longer than the people they depict if said people are despotic. So I wonder whether his monument simply survives by nature of its mass, though it would be strange that one could still read its face when all other traces have been worn down to sand. Or was Ozymandias (in the context of the poem), in spite of the hubris and arrogance implied in the inscription, a benevolent ruler? One good enough that the people did their their best to preserve his monument even while his kingdom was falling to obscurity?

[@malboyce3468]

A favorite poem of mine, nice explanation thank you

[@floramargas4752]

This is such a great video. Thank you so much! I hope you make more literary analysis :) We, students really need it :)

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Floralen Margas Thanks for your comment! You're welcome! I'll keep adding videos. :-)

[@charliemcpherson6299]

From a fellow English teacher, you have a beautiful teaching style.

[@boogieboxmusic4331]

Very good analysis, thank you.

[@haithvishah2766]

thank you very much! 😘yur explanation is mind-blowing...

[@afreenrizwan3318]

well tbh I must say that this lecture was very helpful, and I must appreciate your way of explaining it. Thank you so much.

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Afreen Rizwan You're welcome! Glad to help!

[@rishadquazi6066]

Great job, Professor! Although, fwiw, I've personally always pronounced it "ozz-MAN-di-as", with the last two syllables sometimes contracted further in the British style, to "ozz-MAN-juss". But hey, I'm not a scholar, especially not of Romantic era poetry :-) It's sometimes used in computer science programming classes, as sample text. That's where I first learnt it.

[@yuthikamurali1120]

i just loved the video, u explained it so well, english seemed to be so boring, but now it is interesting, deciphering meaning from lines of a poem;)

[@edwardhill3410]

fantastic discourse :)

[@grepodstfj]

Thanks, that was very interesting

[@humanbeing2722]

Thank u very much Maam

[@Kavithakannan83]

Hi mam l am from India ,thank you for such a wonderful explanation it was so use ful for my work on this poem😇😇

[@ThatAestheticAries]

Great explanation! thank you very much ma'am :)

[@haithvishah2766]

I lived yur style of teaching! may u make more awesome videos like this...

[@SixMinuteScholar]

hetvi shah Thanks so much! You made my day!

[@lfenney5028]

Great explanation, better than others i've found.

[@eahannan]

Very effectively explained . Thanks

[@lelouche25]

Oh Mrs. B! I had no idea you had a KZbin hah. Awesome video btw I was curious about this poem thanks to comics.

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Cool! Glad you found the poem, and me!

[@christinatrammell3345]

Thank you. You were very helpful in our home school lesson.

[@SixMinuteScholar]

CHRISTINA TRAMMELL I homeschooled my three boys!

[@louie8828]

Helped me a lot at school thanks

[@Rituthakur-yx9nx]

amazing.....the way u explain is awesome........your explanation has really helped me....thnxxx for the video

[@SixMinuteScholar]

ritu thakur You're welcome! Thanks so much for your kind words. Made my day!

[@richard9915]

Great explanation!

[@lee1066]

Wonderful lesson, thanks.

[@robertthompson5908]

Thank you, that was a very informative explanation!

[@paulkesky4525]

thank you i loved watching this video you're amazing

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Kaushiki Paul You're welcome!

[@sammusial2484]

Every single King , and every single Empire has it’s beginning, greatness and the end .

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Sam Musial Yes, indeed!

[@rippopsmoke5258]

I have erectile dysfunction

[@yuthikamurali1120]

dat was wonderful!! could u also make a video on rime of the ancient mariner plsss!! I just love the way u explain!!

[@shubhawayang2544]

Wow amazing explanation

[@Ormagoden420]

"I am Osiris, triumphant upon his enemies, and I shall not die again." - Ramses II

[@AliAli-vc4yi]

Can't thank you enough!

[@neethumohant2570]

Thanks a lot prof

[@ayyyyylmao]

I think the "King of Kings" line refers to the fact that he brought other kings under his reign or had them pay tribute. The ancient mesopotamians also used to call themselves kings of kings

[@steviejd5803]

I love this lady, she is utterly intoxicating. Yes yes, she is erudite and insightful, but wow, isn’t she gorgeous. I can listen to her speak for ever.

[@skrezal4396]

Thanks mam for such good explanation 😊

[@Invinovari]

That was well done.

[@tchoupitoulos]

"Look upon my works, and despair," to me is a bit of ironic humor. Ozymandias' intention was to illustrate the grandeur of his empire and to challenge those who would be his equal. But in the end, today the mighty and powerful will look on at what has come of his works, and instead will despair at the unconquerability of time and the futility of their own efforts to achieve immortality.

[@jimdalziel6226]

Enjoyed that Thank you.

[@hexazalea1793]

King of Kings in this context refers to Ramses being a conqurer and a god upon the earth. As hes Ramases a particularly succesful pharoh if i remember correctly and all pharoahs are supposed to be related to the sun god Ra.

[@AbhishekKumar-no1ic]

Thank You so much🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 It helped me a lot

[@bdivyasai3231]

thank you ma'am !!

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Divya Sai You're very welcome!

[@navyatayi6956]

Wow!!! Such an amazing explanation! Can you please explain The Rhime Of Ancient Mariner?

[@SixMinuteScholar]

I'm so glad you liked it! I would be fun to do "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"; I'll have to try to do that one over vacation. Sorry I can't get to it sooner. :-(

[@lukeh6637]

I may be able to help a little on that. Definitely not as much as her but I'll say what I know. Long story short, the Mariner shoots the Albatross and kills it. As a sort of punishment, he has to wear it around his neck, which is often compared to wearing a cross around someone's neck. Another thing worth noting is that an Albatross is often viewed as a sign of good luck so killing it was bad. THEN the killing causes the souls of his crew members to be taken, kind of making them zombies. He has dreams and such, where angels talk to him etc. and basically he just learns to take ownership of his actions and understand where he now is in life. There's more to it, but that's a brief explanation of my understanding.

[@lukeh6637]

Oh Also, the symbolism of the Albatross around his neck is important. It's like a burden, your flaws basically. It's right there as a reminder of how you messed up, it can't be hidden

[@navyatayi6956]

Luke H Thank you so much for the explanation.

[@RorianTube]

Very good!!!!

[@marina8553]

Thank u mam it helped so much😊

[@zfa20203]

thank you so much . thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you

[@groffpaula]

Thank you!

[@SixMinuteScholar]

You're welcome!

[@davidgobert6051]

Thank you.

[@R10007]

This was really helpful....

[@heartssmiles9032]

Hi great video, really helped me to understand the poem. Is there any chance you can do some more videos please on Hawk roosting by ted Hughes and maybe a comparison of the two poems ie hawk roosting and Ozymandias, as well please ? Thank you very much, kind regards Mariah x

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Sorry, I'm busy writing a novel this year! I think you will be able to explore both poems and find that they share a similar message or insight about life. Good luck!

[@sushmathakur6845]

Mam You are really osm.....i can't say anything to your explanation......

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Thanks so much!

[@youcanarts2519]

Thank you so much

[@happybird4942]

Thank you for another very interesting poem, Rebecca. Hey, speaking of variant syllabic pronunciation, I have a question for you, Rebecca: Can you think of any poem in which the author's place/time implies that some word was pronounced differently (specifically, with a different number of syllables) than in our own time period? Such that the rhyme scheme is only preserved if the reader pronounces the poem in the author's way, and lost if the reader pronounces it the reader's own native way? Preferably, in a poem that adheres strictly to syllable count structure, so that getting the syllable count right would be important. [so, if, for example, 100 years ago, UK pronounced the word "everything" as "eh(1) - ver(2) - ee(3) - thing(4)", whereas today we pronounce it as "eh(1) - vree(2) - thing(3)". That's a made up example, but I'm asking if you know of any real example of this phenomenon].

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Happy Bird Good question. I seem to recall a John Donne sonnet that has something like what you are talking about. If I think of which sonnet, I will get in touch!

[@thomastakarapillil7353]

Thanks for the help

[@KennedyKioli]

thank you. you would make a great teacher. hope you are..

[@KennedyKioli]

just read the description .. guess you are. ;-)

[@SixMinuteScholar]

Yes, haha! I enjoy teaching very much. I teach at a community college. :-)

[@raphaelforkel7759]

"King of Kings" was a title pretty much all big ancient kings gave themselves. The Persians were probably most famous for this (Xerxes, or Cyrus, who even graduated to "King of the Universe" at some point). So for Ramses II to call himself that would not be terribly out of the ordinary.

[@WalterLiddy]

Yes but in the context of the time it was written, it's almost certainly a reference to Christ. Nobody reading it would fail to notice that.

[@aaronherman6396]

Great explanation. The name is Ramses in Greek. Just so those looking know the entymology. Mr. Crane is right in his assertion of "King of Kings." Another example are the Assyrian Kings call themselves the "Kings of the Four Corners of the Earth and the Universe." I also wish you would mention the fact its structure is a Sonnet (14 lines), iambic pentameter (10 syllables), and the last 4 lines being the "turn." Respectfully

[@movocode]

Excellent explaination.... (india)

[@dan33yandrew]

Very helpful ty!

[@AngusStewart01]

You earned yourself a subscriber

[@dr.shaziarosekiran3533]

Hi, is there a video on Ode to the West Wind?