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Both poems ‘Ozymandias’ and ‘My Last Duchess’ present ideas about power. In ‘Ozymandias’ and ‘My Last Duchess’ the main characters are male who has used their power in a negative way. In ‘Ozymandias’ it starts with “I met a traveler from an antique land” the verb “met” suggests that the speaker wants to distance himself from the description of Ozymandias by time and space therefore the readers refer to this poem by being a political poem as Shelley attacks the ruler for misusing their power. Perhaps, Shelley writes about his own country, so he does not want to appear as unpatriotic therefore he creates a distance between himself and the “antique land” as in 1818, Shelley writes about the dictator (Napoleon) who lost power at 1850. Also, he writes against the political ruling class of Britain. Duke of Wellington will become prime minister, so the country is going to be ruled by the military. Shelley thinks he is not suited and will become a dictator. Shelley has used the adjective “antique” this refers to how the desire for power and to be a ruler is old perhaps he wants to be a point to his readers that we can move away from a society that has despotic rulers and perhaps move to a more democratic future. Shelley is suggesting how powerful dictators can lead to danger for all of us therefore we need to act fast.
In ‘My Last Duchess’ Browning starts with a rhyming couplet “That’s my last duchess painted on the wall, looking as if she were alive. I call” The enjambment “I call” he disguises himself that he speaks in a rhyming couplet which references that this is a fully prepared speech. The adjective “last” is an allusion to death. Browning conveys irony where “last” means she is not the “last” permanent duchess meaning that the Duke has married more. This implies how the Duke is misusing his power on his duchesses by having an affair with them and killing them straight away. Browning conveys the dangers of the patriarchal society where men are allowed to use their power leading to danger and corruption against women to treat them as possessions. The verb “painted on the wall” means that it is a fresco as the artist “Fra Pandolf” worked on it for one day “busily a day”. The artist had to finish the painting before the plaster has dried this conveys a sense of urgency. It tells the reader he has not decided to have her painted until he has decided to kill her. Browning conveys how the use of power can affect someone else leading to danger and corruption therefore this will be repeated again.
In ‘Ozymandias’ Shelley has used enjambment “whose frown and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command” Shelley does not want it to sound like a prepared speech when the poem uses rhyme that is obvious, he wants it to flow like a natural speech.
In ‘Ozymandias’ Shelley has used a sonnet with the Octave which has 8 lines and the sestet which has 6 lines. The octave talks about the image of the statue while the sestet talks about the personality of Ozymandias. Ironically, Sonnet is a love poem so Shelley attacks Ozymandias for self-love therefore not using his power to help people. In ‘My Last Duchess’ Browning has used Dramatic monologue as the form in ‘My Last Duchess’ this conveys how we do not get a reply of the witness who is representative of the count suggesting the Duke’s importance.
In ‘Ozymandias’ Shelley has used volta at the end of an octet “The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed” This is the use of metaphor. Ozymandias has “mocked” his people, and maintained his power through symbolic cannibalism, as he “fed” on his people. However, Shelley possibly is talking about the sculptor as the sculptor skillfully mocked Ozymandias by carving such damaging portrayal of him “wrinkled lip” and “sneer” this conveys Ozymandias real personality. The sculptor’s heart comes from his art. Shelley points out the emotional impact of the sculptor’s art because the sculptor does not feed on others, but art feeds others. The sculptor’s art is a gift because it has stayed over thousands of years. Shelley is trying to make a point to his readers that power can never defeat art. However, Ozymandias was in power and he got away with mocking people and feeding on them. Shelley is trying to make a point to his readers to let go of dictators.
Browning in ‘My Last Duchess’ has used the metaphor “Notice Neptune, though, taming a sea horse” The noun “Neptune” represents the Duke as he sees himself as god-like so he has the power of life and death meaning that he has the control of the Duchess’ life and death whether they live or die when he decides. The noun “sea horse” represents the last Duchess who tried to tame and also represents the new Duchess who hopes to tame. This represents the patriarchal society where men are treated as gods and women are subservient to men. Browning expresses his anger towards men who have power in the patriarchal society as they are heartless, they are obsessed with their wealth and have no feeling for the common woman and even man. This demonstrates how men with power in the patriarchal society can get away with anything even crime by them mistreating people. Browning is making the readers see how we should defeat the men who take advantage of women.
Ozymandias was published in 1818 after the war of Napoleon. Napoleon has been defeated by the British. Readers see this as a political poem attack on dictatorship. Browning set his poem at a time where girls and women were sold by their families and could be abused by their husbands if they did not please them. Both of the writers want freedom for people and equality but they are attacking different people.