Page 109 - Universal

5. What message does the poet intend to convey through the image of the “lone
and level sands”?

Critical & Analytical
Think Well Thinking

C. Think and Answer.

1. Explore the role of nature in the poem.
2. Discuss the irony in the phrase “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!”

considering the state of the ruins. What does this reveal about human pride
and arrogance?
D. Answer these questions with reference to context.

1. Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
(a) How does the phrase “Nothing beside remains” show that things people
create don’t last forever?
(b) When the poem talks about the “colossal Wreck, boundless and bare,”
what kind of picture does it create in your mind and how does it make
you feel?

Listening Well Listening for Understanding

E. Listen to a short summary of the poem and answer the questions that
follow:

1. What does the traveler find in the desert, and what state is it in?

2. How does the poem’s description of the statue’s inscription contrast with the
actual scene of ruins?

3. How does the phrase “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” hold irony
in the context of the poem?
4. What feelings and ideas does the poem convey about the impermanence of
human achievements and the passage of time?

Spell Well Play-based Learning

F. Think about modern /historic examples of individuals or leaders who may be con-
sidered “Ozymandias” figures. Discuss and debate the legacy and impact of these
contemporary figures, drawing parallels to the poem.

107
The English Carnival-7