Question

Answer the following question in about 150 words.

In the poems 'Ozymandias' by Percy Bysshe Shelley and 'Not Marble, Nor the Gilded Monuments' by William Shakespeare, the concept of Time is explored, but each poet treats it in a distinct manner. Elucidate.

Answer 1

In "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley and "Not Marble, Nor the Gilded Monuments" by William Shakespeare, both poets explore the concept of Time, but in distinct ways.

In "Ozymandias," Shelley portrays time as an inevitable force that reduces even the most powerful rulers and their grand achievements to dust. The once-majestic statue of Ozymandias lies shattered in the desert, symbolizing how time erases human pride and ambition. Shelley emphasizes the futility of seeking immortality through physical monuments, as time ultimately destroys all traces of worldly power and glory. The poem suggests that no matter how great someone may be, time will diminish their legacy.

Conversely, in Shakespeare's poem, time is seen as a force that can destroy physical structures like marble or gilded monuments, but not the power of art. Shakespeare asserts that poetry has the unique ability to preserve memory and defy the passage of time. His verse will ensure that the subject’s memory outlives material monuments, granting them a form of immortality.

Thus, while Shelley highlights time’s destructive power, Shakespeare presents art as a means to transcend time and preserve human memory.