Question

Where has gone all the pride, power and pelf that Ozymandias was so proud of? What does the poet mean when he says ‘Nothing beside remains’?

Answer 1

The ravages of time have destroyed Ozymandias’ dream to overawe humanity with his power, authority, glory and grandeur. The statue and the face of the ‘king of kings’ lie shattered and sunk in the sand. Time and agents of destruction have reduced him to dust. Nothing has remained of his glory and grandeur. Only boundless and bare sand is spreading all around his broken statue in the desert.