What is the Poet’s Position and Attitude in “Ozymandias”?

What is the poet’s position and attitude in the poem? How does he express this?

In “Ozymandias (1822),” Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) presents a deep reflection on the fleeting nature of power and glory. Through the ruined remains of a once-great statue, the poet explores how all human achievements eventually fade away. His attitude is one of caution. This reminds us that no matter how powerful we are, time will bring everything to an end.

The Poet’s Position and Attitude: Shelley’s attitude in the poem is one of warning. He shows that even the mightiest kings and their proud monuments will eventually decay. The poem describes the broken statue of Ozymandias, a powerful king who once boasted, “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” However, the ruins show that nothing remains of his empire. The once-great king is now nothing but a forgotten figure in a vast, empty desert.

The poet’s position is that human pride and power are temporary. He expresses this through vivid imagery of the statue’s shattered face, with its “frown” and “sneer of cold command.” The sculptor captured these emotions well, showing that the king’s arrogance is still visible even in death. But despite all his glory, the king’s “works” have crumbled, leaving nothing but “lone and level sands.”

Shelley uses irony to express his message. The king’s boastful words are now meaningless, as there is nothing left of his empire. This teaches the reader that no matter how powerful one may seem, time and nature will always destroy all that is built. Shelley’s attitude is a reminder of the humility that comes with understanding the impermanence of power.