When comparing and contrasting “Ozymandias”, written by Percy Bysshe Shelley and “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay, there is a strong contrast between the two. Ozymandias is a poem about a long-forgotten king who once had mighty power over his people, where as “Viva La Vida” is about a king who was overthrown. However, the similarities between the song and poem are astonishing. “Ozymandias” is similar to “Viva La Vida”because both texts mention a rockpile built upon sand for a king; because both texts show that the citizens are enemies of the king; and because they are both about a king who has lost his power.
“Ozymandias” is similar to “Viva La Vida” because they both mention a rockpile built upon sand for a king. For example, in “Ozymandias”, the traveler said, “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone /Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, /Half sunk, a shattered visage lies” (2-4). This means that the visage, or face, is built on unlevel ground: sand. In “Viva La VIda”, the singer mentions, “ [He] discovered that his castles stand/ Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand” ( 3, 3-4), meaning that the king’s castle is built upon sand; an unsturdy foundation for a castle. Both the visage and the castle are built on unsteady grounds of sand. Therefore, Ozymandias” and “Viva La Vida” are similar because they both mention rockpiles built on sand for a king.
“Ozymandias” is similar to “Viva La Vida” because both the song and poem are about a king who was once hated by his own people. For example, in “Ozymandias”, the traveler speaking to the main character of the poem says, “ Tell that its sculptor well those passions read/ Which yet survive, stamped on [the stone monuments]/ The hand that mocked them”( 7-8), meaning that the sculptor of the king’s monument has ridiculed the king’s passions; the sculptor disapproves of the king and is then considered an enemy of the king. In the song “Viva La Vida”, the singer states, “ Revolutionaries wait/ for my head on a silver plate”( 7, 1-2), which means that the exiled king is wanted dead from his own previous citizens — this then proves that his citizens are his enemies. Therefore, because the king in “Ozymandias” is mocked and is disapproved by his sculptor, and because the king in “Viva La Vida” is being hunted down by his own people, both the song and poem are considered as similar texts.
Themes in both pieces differ even though they are related to a religious subject. There is a biblical context in both pieces. For instance, Guillaume Machaut expresses devotion to the Virgin Mary in the lyrics. To illustrate, the composer wrote the following text for the motetus voice:
In Percy Shelley’s poem, “Ozymandias,” the apparently grand, self-claimed king of kings proves to be nothing more than an arrogant pile of rubble, buried deep within a desert wasteland. In this classic piece of poetry, Shelley masterfully displays the temporary and insignificant status of mankind, and proves that the true “king of kings” is none other than Time. Shelley does this by commanding the use of irony, imagery, symbolism and using a unique structure.
These poems have many different things in it. Both of them have mentions of a higher power. For example Songs of Innocence “ and by came an angel who had a bright key,” and Songs of Experience “ and are gone to praise God and his Priest and King.” Also both poems have a mostly negative tone, and have a child as the speaker whether it is third person or first person.
Both authors use figurative language to help develop sensory details. In the poem It states, “And I sunned it with my smiles, And with soft deceitful wiles.” As the author explains how the character is feeling, the reader can create a specific image in there head based on the details that is given throughout the poem. Specifically this piece of evidence shows the narrator growing more angry and having more rage. In the short story ” it states, “We are below the river's bed. The drops of moisture trickle among bones.” From this piece of text evidence the reader can sense the cold dark emotion that is trying to be formed. Also this excerpt shows the conflict that is about to become and the revenge that is about to take place. By the story and the poem using sensory details, they both share many comparisons.
When considering the structure of the poems, they are similar in that they are both written loosely in iambic pentameter. Also, they both have a notable structured rhyme scheme.
When kings rise they are mighty and powerful, but you must also remember that sometimes they fall and are long forgotten. The poem Ozymandias, tells of a king who was powerful and everybody feared and obeyed him, but now only remains are left of him. The song Viva La Vida tells you of a king who rose to power and lost it because of a traitor. The song Viva La Vida and the poem Ozymandias both have similarities and differences.
makes each poem unique the central idea is identical, they both emphasize the particular bond
Although, in 'A Dirge' they lack different morals. This is a poem unlike the other one. But 'A Dirge' is a poem talking how the world is crying and the tears are tears of vain. Also that the wind is moaning, and too full of grief to sing a song.
The poem “Ozymandias,” was written during a sonnet competition between Percy Shelley and his colleague Horace Smith in 1818; the subject of their competition was the statue of Ramses II arriving in London from Egypt. The poem displays the natural destruction of a once distinguished empire using words akin to, “shattered.” Percy Shelley uses irony, alliteration, and vivid imagery, in “Ozymandias,” to demonstrate how nothing will last forever, including the greatest things in the world.
The common is that they are both from the same memory. However, one poem takes on a more bitter approach to the memory than the other. In Immortal I love how the poem is all in all so serene and peaceful. The style and form captures the ideas in the poem because even though they are so similar they have different tones and moods. In Nostalgia, it hits the reader with bitter reality like it does in real life, I wasn`t expecting it so I didn`t let the reader either. In Immortal, I let the reader relive in the vivid memories I do when I think about that memory so it`s kind of like a secret the reader and I share. My intended effect on the reader was for them to have the same reactions as I did- to enjoy the tranquility of Immortal and the harsh reality in Nostalgia. I was successful in getting the reader to have the same reactions as I
Anais Mitchell’s musical Hadestown exemplifies how the melodious aspect of music allows the message of “Why We Build the Wall” to change entirely when going from written word to a auditory experience. On paper, Mitchell’s song symbolizes a strong, united community that is confident about its decision to build a wall when they repeatedly sing, “We build the wall to keep us free” (Mitchell l.4). Their short, matter-of-fact statements show no wavering in their decision to build the wall or the reason they choose to build it. However, in the song, it is revealed through their tones and the slow, impending music they sing along to that their emotions are different from the words they are speaking. In unison, on paper, suggests a togetherness that is not heard when sung aloud. Instead, the unsettling tone of complete unison appears to be programmed into the singers can only be detected when performed aloud. No single voice stands above another, removing all sense of individuality, which contradicts the idea of freedom they are singing about. Furthermore, the monotonous tone of the voices does not give off a feeling of happiness, but rather they are trapped in a dystopia but too brainwashed to realize. The inflection in their voices does not change when singing about freedom or poverty, suggesting they have memorized a script rather than believe what they are saying. Mitchell’s songs,
It is nature that destroys humankind when the sun disappears and the volcano erupts in “Darkness” and in “Ozymandias,” it is the sand and wind that causes the statue to fall. In Byron’s poem, humans lose the fight for their lives, and in Shelley’s poem, Ozymandias’s statue is powerless because it is lifeless, emphasizing the importance of the themes of life and death to the shared topic of destruction. Although they explore destruction using different language, they share the use of ideas about the destruction of civilization, and the fall of humankind because of nature, life and
As well as seeing the similar and different techniques and ideas both poets used to create these brilliant poems it becomes easy for an audience to interpret and see the poet's views on ‘coming of
Shelley’s Petrarchan sonnet “Ozymandias” demonstrates that the passage of time erodes away all creations. The speaker’s diction hints at time’s importance in the beginning with “antique land”(1) or ancient civilization, implying what the passing of time can do given the present remains of ancient civilization. To illustrate the transition of time, Ozymandias’ statue proclaims to look at his achievements and be awed, “ye Mighty, and despair”(11) except there is nothing to see because all of his “works”(11) have been destroyed by time. Therefore, it is ironic for him to show off that nothing remains but the desert that devoured everything around him. Additionally, transience is represented by the statue’s state as decaying to a “colossal wreck”
In Percy Shellby’s poem, “Ozymandius”, the poem is presented as someone is explaining what they are observing at the place of ____ conflict happened. The imagery describes a ruined kingdom: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone / Stand in the desert... Near them, on the sand, / Half sunk a shattered visage lies” (2-4, Shellby). This quote provides the reader with a sense of ruin and abandonment that the person in the poem is observing, with the demolished statue engulfed in the desert sand. The idea of transience from this poem is given through the ironic quote: “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: / Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” (10-12, Shelley). The speaker is quoting a man that has once conquered this land, and had reign over an entire kingdom, however all the things he has fought for has degenerated into rumble, nothing is left but "The lone and level sands stretch far away´ (14,