In this episode, we’ll explore the literary devices in Shelley’s poem Ozymandias, with a focus on irony and satire. We’ll examine how the crumbling statue highlights the contrast between Ozymandias’s belief in his eternal power and the reality of its decay. We’ll also look at the authoritative tone he used when commissioning the statue, now surrounded by emptiness. Plus, we’ll analyse the poem’s structure as a sonnet and how it subtly mocks Ozymandias’s self-importance. Finally, we’ll consider the impact of the second-hand account and how it reinforces the ruler’s insignificance.

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