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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 8 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many voices are heard in "Ozymandias"?

2. What is the antecedent of the word "them" in line 8, "The hand that mocked them"?

3. What part of the statue is still standing when the traveler sees it?

4. What does Ozymandias hope to inspire in his audience?

5. Which lines contain caesuras?

Short Essay Questions

1. What claims does the poem make about the statue's sculptor?

2. Briefly summarize the action of the poem.

3. What poetic techniques create impact in the line, "Half sunk a shattered visage lies" (line 4)?

4. Describe the poem's form.

5. How does the epithet that Ozymandias gives himself help the reader understand the intentions behind his quote?

6. How does the poem's setting support its main point?

7. Explain the irony of the poem's ending.

8. Identify the three voices heard in "Ozymandias."

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay in which you explicate Shelley's use of the sound devices alliteration, assonance, and consonance in "Ozymandias." How do these techniques link or emphasize ideas and impact the poem's flow, pace, and mood? Use both quoted and paraphrased evidence from the poem to support your claims.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay in which you explicate the imagery of "Ozymandias." Describe the poems images and then show how they function to support the poem's overall meaning. Use both quoted and paraphrased evidence from the poem to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you consider the three voices in "Ozymandias" as "stand-ins." Who might the speaker stand in for? Who might the traveler represent? What about Ozymandias himself? As you consider your answers to these questions, think about why each voice is necessary to the poem's overall meaning. Support your ideas with evidence from the poem; if you use outside sources, be sure to cite these in MLA format.

(see the answer keys)

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