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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 8 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the likely purpose of capitalizing "Works" (line 11) and "Wreck" (line 13)?

2. In line 4, "Half sunk a shattered visage lies," what techniques are employed?

3. What is the meter of the poem's first two lines?

4. What part of the statue is still standing when the traveler sees it?

5. Who is the author of "Ozymandias"?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the poem's form.

2. What claims does the poem make about the statue's sculptor?

3. How does the epithet that Ozymandias gives himself help the reader understand the intentions behind his quote?

4. Identify the three voices heard in "Ozymandias."

5. Briefly summarize the action of the poem.

6. How does the poem's setting support its main point?

7. What poetic techniques create impact in the line, "Half sunk a shattered visage lies" (line 4)?

8. Explain the irony of the poem's ending.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay that analyzes "Ozymandias" as an artifact of English Romanticism. Explain the key characteristics of the style and subject matter of Romanticism, place Shelley within this tradition, and then show how "Ozymandias" reflects this tradition. Use both quoted and paraphrased evidence from the poem to support your claims, and cite all sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay in which you explicate Shelley's use of the sound devices alliteration, assonance, and consonance in "Ozymandias." How do these techniques link or emphasize ideas and impact the poem's flow, pace, and mood? Use both quoted and paraphrased evidence from the poem to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Read one of Shelley's more obviously political poems: either "The Masque of Anarchy" or "England in 1819" (both are available online). Then, write an essay comparing and contrasting his approach to political subject matter in the poem you chose and "Ozymandias." Use textual evidence from both works as support for your ideas; cite all sources in MLA format.

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