Page 41 - Point 5 Literature Program Option 1 Teachers Guide (2) (1)

Let’s Think – Identifying parts and whole
Let the students complete the pairs activity (application of the HoTs to other areas) and
then discuss their suggestions. These might include: a guest list, a venue, decorations, refreshments,
music, entertainment, speeches, gifts and so forth. as they talk about other situations where they
could apply this thinking skill, you can introduce these two notions:
i. the sum is often greater than its parts
ii. not all parts are of equal importance.

3. Answers will vary. Students could focus on the dramatic aspects of the traveler’s tale, like the headless statue.

4. Accept all logical responses that relate to the poem.

Questions 5–10 relate to literary terms. answers might include:
5. The setting is the place in the Sahara Desert where the traveler came upon the ruined statue of Ozymandias.

6. The setting of a completely empty desert around the broken statue strengthens the idea that no man is as
powerful as he thinks he is.
7. The rhyme scheme is e d ef ef .
8. The underlined consonants mark alliteration in these two verses:

Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert.
The poet uses alliteration to link words together to form a strong visual image of a huge headless and trunkless
statue, surrounded by shifting sands.
9. The ruined statue can represent all political leaders, who think they are all-powerful, but in time their rule comes
to an end and they are gone and forgotten.
10. The ruined statue is standing alone in the desert – there are no mighty works to see. The words of the inscription
are ironic because they do not correspond to reality.

Bridging Text and Context
in question 1 students are asked to relate the poem to three elements of Romantic poetry.

accept all logical responses that they can support with relevant quotes from the text. note that the
Romantic aspects given in the question have been linked to the poem in the General interpretation
section above. Use Rubric 3 on page 88 to mark written answers.

Answers might include:
1. The first aspect reflected in the poem is the power of nature over man: the desert had completely destroyed
Ozymandias’ kingdom and even ruined the statue itself. The second aspect is the love of distant and exotic places:
the poem begins by mentioning a traveler who has been to an antique land, and from the desert (which is exotic
for an Englishman like Shelley). The third aspect is the interest in outstanding people: here it is the interest in a king
who was once a very powerful ruler.
2. The poem is a warning against human vanity and political tyranny anywhere. Understanding the key features of
Romanticism in literature helps explain why Shelley chose a scene and a figure like this to convey his message.

Post-Reading Activity

Let students choose one of these activities. Use Rubric 4 on page 88 to mark written answers.

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