Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

[aeedwards]

"I met a traveller from an antique land

Comments

[andydanelle]

That poem has been almost magical for me since the sixth grade when my english teacher had us memorize it and recite it in front of the class.

[onlyjenny]

Beautiful poem, but I'm afraid I only understand it in the literal sense (i.e., that he had a dream about a place in the desert where an old statue lie). What does it mean?

[a_elise]

Wow, I've forgotten how much I loved this poem. My interp., whether it's right or wrong-
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty and despair!" This quote on the wreckage of where this great statue once stood, tall and imposing, declaring majesty and might. This Ozymandias, so great...the sculptor captured his passion. Where is he now? "Nothing beside remains. Round the decay/Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare/ The lone and level sands stretch far away."
Our declarations of self importance today can span time (through a statue), but become a faded memory to all tomorrow. Greatness forgotten...this is lesson in humility, I'd imagine.

That's what I get from it. I could be wrong. I'd be more than interested to hear other interpretations.

[aeedwards]

I am so glad that other people have heard of it. Can you believe I didn't hear of that until my senior year of college. But, of course, I got a poor education in high school. I think your interpretation is perfectly valid. Shelley wrote this in relation to King Nebuchanezzar's dream - who struggled with self-importance in the wake of worshiping God. But, our self-importance is so unimportant in the the eyes of humility. To build a momument to ourselves is not necessary-for this body is only clay.