Shelley hated
monarchies and Ramses
II was a tyrannical leader.
"I met a traveller from
an antique land."
Set out like a story to emphasis
how unimportant Ramses II is since
he hasn't heard of him before.
Therefore human power is weak.
"'Two vast and
trunkless legs of stone"
Statue is incomplete or
highly damaged. Human
power is not ever lasting.
"half sunk, a
shatter'd visage"
Gives impression of the sea
and that the statue -built with
blocks of nature- is returning
to where it came from.
Showing man cannot stop the
forces of life and death.
"stamp'd on these
lifeless things"
"Lifeless" that it was once alive and
perhaps had a purpose eg praying
to it. But the surrounding buildings
are gone which suggests that
Ramses' power is 'dead' which
shows humans power is weak.
London
''every cry of every man''
Connotes that there are universal
problems, everyone's suffering. Which
makes everyone seem powerless. The
use of repetition of ''every'' emphasises
the lack of hope for the future
''mind forg'd manacles''
Suggests that people are
prisoners of the mind as well as
physically. Humans are ultimately
weak as we trap ourselves.
Humans are weak
and the government
has all the power.
''Marriage hearse''
Oxymoron which shows that
everything has been lost. Death
imagery also gives impression that
everything can defeat humans.
"black'ning
Church
appalls''
Angry at forms
of power. The
church could be
corrupt as it is
tarnished by its
failure to
protect people.
My last duchess
"The curtain I have
drawn for you"
Controls who sees the portrait
of his wife. Done to show how
much power the man has over
something so insignificant.
"as if she ranked My gift of a
nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody’s gift."
Due to his higher class he thinks
that he should be favoured.
Controlling nature.
"I gave commands; Then all
smiles stopped together"
A simple command is all he
needs for him to be rid of his
wife. Could show that he is weak
since he depends on underlings.
Shows how the Duke is powerful in his actions but weak since he relies on underlings.
"Nay, we’ll go Together
down, sir."
He is able to keep the man in
control with just a simple word. Is
attempting to prevent the end of
his marriage to the mans daughter.