Ozimandias
by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Key images and vocabulary
Subject:
English
Age groups:
15-16
Topic:
Poetry
EAL Nexus – free downloadable teaching materials https://eal.britishcouncil.org/
This resource was originally developed by R Wilson has been adapted for EAL Nexus
© Bell Educational Trust 2017
Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Key images and vocabulary
Lines 1 to 8
Egypt
Ozymandias
legs of stone
desert
Notes
1. The ‘antique land’ in the poem is Egypt
2. ‘Ozymandias’ is another name for Rameses II, Pharaoh
(King) of Egypt, who died in 1213 BC
3. The poem is about an old statue of Ozymandias (Rameses
II) in the desert.
Key words to translate
Translation
Rameses II
Meaning/Example
vast
trunk = torso
to command
cold = unfeeling
to mock = to imitate
shattered visage
(face)
to frown
to sneer
a sculptor
Lines 9 to 14
look on my Works
colossal Wreck
lone and level sands
Notes
4. Rameses II was famous for ordering lots of temples and monuments to
be built
5. The buildings showed how powerful Ozymandias was when he was alive
Key words to translate
to appear
King of Kings
ye = you
Mighty = powerful people
to despair
to remain
Translation
Meaning/Example
Image attributions
1. Ozimandias: http://alexzakil.deviantart.com/art/Ozymandias-305142145 By Alex Zakil creative commons
permission to reuse.
2. Egypt: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egypt.Giza.Sphinx.02.jpg By Most likely Hamish2k, the first
uploader (Most likely Hamish2k, the first uploader) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BYSA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons
3. Rameses II: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Closeup_Ramesses_II_Colossus.jpg By Than217 at
English Wikipedia [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
4. Legs of stone: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/93731235967956489/ Not able to find photographer – this
photo appears to be in public domain as it is widely used on websites in connection with Ozymandias / Shelley
5. Desert: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rub_al_Khali_002.JPG By Nepenthes (Own work) [CC BY-SA
3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via
Wikimedia Commons
6. Shattered visage: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Museum_-_Egypt-Thebes_(pd).jpg By
Brooklyn Museum (Egypt: Thebes Transfered by User:ComputerHotline) [No restrictions], via Wikimedia
Commons
7. Frown: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/4605621230 By Stephen Depolo creative commons via
Flikr
8. Wrinkled lip / sneer: R. Wilson own photo
9. Sculptor: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_French_sculptor_Victor_Nicolas.jpg By Vincent
Nicolas, son of Victor Nicolas and father of Marcvjnicolas (Private collection of grandson) [CC BY-SA 2.0 fr
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/fr/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons
10. Pedestal: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pedestal_(PSF).png By Pearson Scott Foresman [Public
domain], via Wikimedia Commons
11. Colossal wreck: https://www.flickr.com/photos/savingfutures/3263126455 Cropped version of image by
Charlie Phillips creative commons, permission to use or adapt via Flikr
12. Lone and level sands: https://www.flickr.com/photos/summonedbyfells/15160041855 By summonedbyfells
creative commons via Flikr
13. ‘My works’:
1. Abu Simbel temples: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S10.08_Abu_Simbel,_image_9930.jpg
By William Henry Goodyear, Joseph Hawkes, and John McKecknie (Brooklyn Museum) [No
restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons
2. Luxor temple: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Entrance_to_Luxor_Temple,_Egypt.JPG By
MusikAnimal (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via
Wikimedia Commons
3. Ramesseum: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ramesseum_07.JPG By Olaf Tausch (Own
work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 3.0
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons