The poem I chose is "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. This poem is a 14 line sonnet written in iambic pentameter, which means that each line has a total of ten syllables. Sonnets are broken down into what is called quatrains. The first is four lines, and it establishes the subject. The second quatrain is also four lines which develops the sonnet's theme. The third quatrain is four lines, and rounds off the theme of the sonnet. The fourth quatrain is two lines, and concludes the sonnet. Each quatrain is also know to have a certain rhyme scheme, but Shelley did not follow this.
This poem shows irony, in that Ozymandias tells his people that he is the king of kings, to look on his works, yet all of it is ruined. The theme shows that even the most powerful are destroyed over time, yet some on their legacies will live on, as shown in the words stamped in the pedestal. I will try to convey a tone of power as I recite what Ozymandias puts on the pedestal. When I am in voice of the traveller, I will attempt at trying to sound like a stoyteller, a bit mystical.
I really enjoy this poem, for many reasons. I like the use of irony, it's tied in very well. Also, I like the theme portrayed, showing how even the strongest will fade. The character Ozymandias is an allusion to the Egyptian king Ramses the second, who was also very powerful. My fear is that during my recitation I either forget the poem, or I stumble over words. I feel I will need to really focus on my voice and articulation, and my physical presence. This seems hard to relate to my life, but I could compare it to something that I have to do that is nerve-racking, then with time it passes and fades, just like any prominent rulers.
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