Nature makes people aware of the fact that in the grand scheme of things each individual is significant. There are people in the world don’t care about the consequences of their actions because they believe they have a right to take whatever they want. It humbles humanity which is crucial when much of humanity has a tendency to find themselves invincible. As we talked about in class, nature makes humans take a step back and realize their insignificance within the context of the Earth. I think that this immortal power of nature is what makes poems about nature particularly impactful. The downfall of Ozymandias’ statue is not unique the sands which led to its deterioration “stretch far away.” While Shelley acknowledges the beauty and wonder of nature in Mont Blanc, here he also recognizes the power and ruthlessness of nature. Round the decay \ Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare \ The lone and level sands stretch far away” (12-14). The traveller remarks, “Nothing beside remains. Although Ozymandias was not conquered by men, his statue and symbol of strength is torn down by the forces of nature. As time goes by, the passage decays and breaks down. However, while people die, nature remains. This is a taunt to all other men, a message that he is stronger than all others. The quote on the statue reads, “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings \ Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” (10-11). The statue of Ozymandias, once a symbol of strength and domination, has been destroyed not by people, but by the natural passage of time. What struck me as interesting in Peter Bysshe Shelley’s poem “Ozymandias” was the power and timelessness attributed to nature by the speaker.
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