Poem Quotation Inference Additional Notes
Ozymandias ‘I met a traveller’ - The character of the ‘traveller’ reduces the direct criticism - Compare : My
of the government Last Duchess,
- 3rd Person – Makes the criticism seem like an opinion of Storm On The
someone whom we do not know, but in truth, it is Shelly’s Island
personal views of power and the government
Ozymandias ‘Trunkless legs of stone’ - Semantic field of wreckage & destruction - Compare : My
- Suggests an empty feeling, power is no longer enough, Last Duchess,
those in ‘power’ want more and more (Greed) Storm On The
- Adjective ‘Trunkless’- Not even the most powerful can hide Island
from time
Ozymandias ‘My name is Ozymandias king of kings’ - Announcement of power – He attempts to hold onto what - Compare : My
he believes is power as it crumbles and fades Last Duchess,
- Ironic contrast to the decrepit state of the statue Storm On The
- Hubris – Declaration of power Island
Ozymandias ‘Lone and level sands stretch far away’ - Ending of what he believed would be infinite power - Compare : My
- The power of nature begins to take over the statue as he Last Duchess,
becomes part of history rather than the present Storm On The
- Worldly power is not a constant Island
,London ‘I wander through each chartered street’ -
Verb ‘Wander’ – His walk seems casual and aimless - Compare :
- This makes the misery that follows appear to be a ‘casual’ Checking Out
everyday occurrence Me History
- ‘Chartered’ – Legal document which grants and denies
power
o Suggests he is no truly free
o He feels trapped by the governmental authority
above him
- Juxtaposition of ‘Wander’ & ‘Charter’ – Suggests society is
conflicted
London ‘Mind forged manacles’ - ‘Manacles’ – Chains - Compare :
- Metaphor coveys the extent of societal restriction and Checking Out
psychological entrapment Me History
- Even the freedom of their own imagination can no longer
be set free
London ‘Runs in blood down palace walls’ - Direct criticism of the monarchy - Compare :
- The monarchy's reputation is stained by the pain and Checking Out
suffering in society, whilst they live their lavish lives Me History
- Foreboding atmosphere – Suggestion that something dark
is going on behind the closed doors of the palace
- Metaphor ‘Walls’ – Suggests that the royal infrastructure is
crumbling
London ‘Plagues the marriage hearse’ - Suggestive that marriage brings restriction - Another - Compare :
governmental document that brings restriction to society Checking Out
- Juxtaposition ‘Death’ & ‘Marriage’ – Normally seen as the Me History
function to produce children is overshadowed by the
suggestions of suffering and marriage come hand in hand
- Semantic field of suffering
, The Prelude ‘One summer evening (led by her)’ - Personification ‘Her’ – Makes it seem as though his - Compare :
subconsciousness leads him to this place, and then leads Storm On The
him to do what he does Island
o Could also suggest the power & influence of mother
nature
- Pathetic Fallacy ‘Summer’ – Has positive connotations
The Prelude ‘ - - Compare :
Storm On The
Island
The Prelude ‘There hung a darkness’ - Sets the tone for the end of the poem, the beauty of nature - Compare :
which was first crystal clear has now faded Storm On The
- Verb ‘Hung’ – Form a semantic field of depression, Island
highlighting the speakers connection with nature and how a
change in nature can quickly alter his own feelings
o Could also suggest that the feelings linger and they
haunt the speaker
The Prelude ‘Were a trouble to my dreams’ - Power of his own imagination - Compare :
- There is danger present in his mind Storm On The
- The speaker also begins to realise how powerless humans Island
are in relation to nature, and the world as a whole
- Nature holds so much power over humans, both physically
and mentally
Ozymandias ‘I met a traveller’ - The character of the ‘traveller’ reduces the direct criticism - Compare : My
of the government Last Duchess,
- 3rd Person – Makes the criticism seem like an opinion of Storm On The
someone whom we do not know, but in truth, it is Shelly’s Island
personal views of power and the government
Ozymandias ‘Trunkless legs of stone’ - Semantic field of wreckage & destruction - Compare : My
- Suggests an empty feeling, power is no longer enough, Last Duchess,
those in ‘power’ want more and more (Greed) Storm On The
- Adjective ‘Trunkless’- Not even the most powerful can hide Island
from time
Ozymandias ‘My name is Ozymandias king of kings’ - Announcement of power – He attempts to hold onto what - Compare : My
he believes is power as it crumbles and fades Last Duchess,
- Ironic contrast to the decrepit state of the statue Storm On The
- Hubris – Declaration of power Island
Ozymandias ‘Lone and level sands stretch far away’ - Ending of what he believed would be infinite power - Compare : My
- The power of nature begins to take over the statue as he Last Duchess,
becomes part of history rather than the present Storm On The
- Worldly power is not a constant Island
,London ‘I wander through each chartered street’ -
Verb ‘Wander’ – His walk seems casual and aimless - Compare :
- This makes the misery that follows appear to be a ‘casual’ Checking Out
everyday occurrence Me History
- ‘Chartered’ – Legal document which grants and denies
power
o Suggests he is no truly free
o He feels trapped by the governmental authority
above him
- Juxtaposition of ‘Wander’ & ‘Charter’ – Suggests society is
conflicted
London ‘Mind forged manacles’ - ‘Manacles’ – Chains - Compare :
- Metaphor coveys the extent of societal restriction and Checking Out
psychological entrapment Me History
- Even the freedom of their own imagination can no longer
be set free
London ‘Runs in blood down palace walls’ - Direct criticism of the monarchy - Compare :
- The monarchy's reputation is stained by the pain and Checking Out
suffering in society, whilst they live their lavish lives Me History
- Foreboding atmosphere – Suggestion that something dark
is going on behind the closed doors of the palace
- Metaphor ‘Walls’ – Suggests that the royal infrastructure is
crumbling
London ‘Plagues the marriage hearse’ - Suggestive that marriage brings restriction - Another - Compare :
governmental document that brings restriction to society Checking Out
- Juxtaposition ‘Death’ & ‘Marriage’ – Normally seen as the Me History
function to produce children is overshadowed by the
suggestions of suffering and marriage come hand in hand
- Semantic field of suffering
, The Prelude ‘One summer evening (led by her)’ - Personification ‘Her’ – Makes it seem as though his - Compare :
subconsciousness leads him to this place, and then leads Storm On The
him to do what he does Island
o Could also suggest the power & influence of mother
nature
- Pathetic Fallacy ‘Summer’ – Has positive connotations
The Prelude ‘ - - Compare :
Storm On The
Island
The Prelude ‘There hung a darkness’ - Sets the tone for the end of the poem, the beauty of nature - Compare :
which was first crystal clear has now faded Storm On The
- Verb ‘Hung’ – Form a semantic field of depression, Island
highlighting the speakers connection with nature and how a
change in nature can quickly alter his own feelings
o Could also suggest that the feelings linger and they
haunt the speaker
The Prelude ‘Were a trouble to my dreams’ - Power of his own imagination - Compare :
- There is danger present in his mind Storm On The
- The speaker also begins to realise how powerless humans Island
are in relation to nature, and the world as a whole
- Nature holds so much power over humans, both physically
and mentally
