Question

What does the poet mean by the line 'Look on my works, ye Mighty and despair!’? What does it reveal about Ozymandias as a king?​

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

In the poem "Ozymandias" by Percy Shelley, the speaker recounts the story told by a traveler, who found the ruins of what was once a kingdom. Among the ruins was the statue of a king, Ozymandias, and the inscription, "Look on my works, ye Mighty and despair!" The line shows how arrogant Ozymandias was. He did not seem to consider his own frailty as a human being, much less the possibility of his kingdom being destroyed in the future. It is quite ironical to read such boastful words when all there is around is in ruins. Nothing is left besides the words themselves. Even their meaning is lost.