The Semiotics of Poetry of “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Yosua Antonio Subekti

214214081

Introduction
According to (Riffaterre, 1978), a poetry often using the indirection language
which is when the poem says about one thing, but it actually means another thing. Since most of
the poem are using the indirection language in order to deliver a deeper meaning, the are then
challenged to be able to not only understand but fully realize the significances of what the writer
is trying to convey for the reader, this is important since without this the poetry might be harder
to decipher and harder to understand. In understanding poetry interpretation is one of the
strongest suits that readers will have in their arsenal, aside from understanding, readers need to
be able to have a decent knowledge of language so that the meaning may be interpreted in their
own way, sure there will are a fine line of meaning that the writer purposely give for the poetry,
but as to how reader may find that meaning interpretation are able to help and is a great ally for
readers.

Riffaterre (1978) also states that because representation have a foundation on th

referentiality of usen words or languages, mimesis is the variation and the multiplication that
gives a continues shifting semantic sequences. So, when a reader sought and tries or aims to
understand a poetry semiotic process helps tremendously, this process mainly took place in the
reader’s mind that resulted from the second reading and involves part of understanding,
interpretation and much more to developed and be used. If an individual sought to understand
poetry but more importantly semiotic poetry, they need to be able and know how to carefully
distinguish two levels or stages of reading.

The first level in heuristic reading, is when the first ever interpretation takes place.
During this level the level of understanding and the meaning are then within the reader’s mind.
To be able to reach this level the reader needs to have a competent linguistic understanding and
skill, this includes decent vocabulary to transcribe meanings since in this process assumption is
another big key. Furthermore, this level needs the readers ability to perceive incompatibilism
between words, that could only have a proper meaning or make proper sense when the reader
perform and uses a semantic transfer. In essence, semantic transfer means that when the reader
read words or phrases as a metaphor. Finally, it is the reader that also need to be involved in
literary competence that are able to make them much more familiar with the descriptive systems
that may help them to fill in the caps or compression in the text later on.

The second level is retroactive reading which is the appropriate time for reader to
interpret the things they grasp from the hermeneutic reading, so a second interpretation of the
previous method of reading. The reader must recall and remember what they have read and
modifies the understanding. At this level, the reader will be reviewing, revising, and comparing
the poem that they have already read before. The reader here will be able to analyze deeper and
recognize since they had already put the meaning together from the very first level. The first
reading level may bring the reader to find ungrammaticalities and there may appear to be
confusion, the second reading helps and improve this, since from this the reader will be able to
see the poem as variants of the same structural matrix.

Since a lot of poetry are using indirection language just like what Riffaterre (1978) stated,
the writer decides to analyze “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley using the semiotic
approach for the reason that the poetry that will be analyzed used symbols and a variety of
indirection language that are purposely given by the author so that meaning and deeper
analyzation may be reached to the reader. For the previous reason stated, the writer decides to
analyze Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley using the semiotic approach in order to understand
fully what the poem actually means, the deeper message that is trying to be given by the author
and what the author tries to convey. The research question that is formulated:

1. What is the indirection language (heuristic reading) that can be found from the poetry
“Ozymandias”?
2. Upon further analysis (hermeneutic reading) from the poetry “Ozymandias” what result
are able to be found with the meaning of the poetry?

Method

The writer decides to apply the semiotic approach in order to not only read but to delve
deeper and analyze the poetry. On this paper, the writers have chosen to focus on the poem itself,
titled “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley as the object of the study. The writer also decides
to use Michael Riffaterre theories in order to analyze the object and the poetry in the study.

In this study, the writer decides to analyzing the poem by using the method of two levels
of reading which Riffaterre (1978) already stated before. The two level of reading will be
important as it will help understand the poetry, both in heuristic reading as the first level and the
hermeneutic reading as the second level. On the first level of reading that being the heuristic
reading, the writer will read the poem and find indirection language that the author used in the
poem. From the first step the writer will identify ungrammaticalities or variants in the poetry.

The writer then connects the findings within the process with the theories of semiotic
approach on poetry that refers to this paper that is relevant. Finally, on the conclusion the writer
presented the finding and drew overall conclusions.

Discussion

This chapter answers the previous research question which in turn elaborates it. While
using the theories stated before for the poetry “Ozymandias”.

1. What is the indirection language (heuristic reading) that can be found from the
poetry “Ozymandias”?
Through the analysis that the writer conducts, the heuristic reading that
can be found from the poem “Ozymandias” the writer found the sentence Half
sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold
command, it’s a personification since a frowning and having cold command is an
attribute of a living things such as human, a visage or a monument have
no power to do so. The word frowning and cold command is something that could
only be achievable by living things or humans but in the poetry, it highlighted that
the fallen visage, the monument is able to give such emotion to the traveler.

Secondly, we have distortions, the poetry “Ozymandias” states, “Look on my Works, ye

Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains”. In this part we have a very prominent sense of
ambiguity, we read how the statement claims such a grandeur and amazing things that perhaps
would feast the eyes, as a reader we will jump to the imagination of a wonderful magical and
powerful city, “Look on my works, ye mighty and despair!” shows how the achievement of
Ozymandias is nothing short but remarkable that he dares to challenge anyone else and even if
they dare challenge Ozymandias, they will fall in despair. The fantastic phrase we just read is
then distorted by the next, “Nothing beside remains” other than the visage the traveler see
nothing else, no work of Ozymandias can be seen, that brought question for the reader, the grand
words that is written and how Ozymandias boast his achievements, where is it? Where does all
of the monuments, where are this amazing thing he so proudly boasted?

2. Upon further analysis (hermeneutic reading) from the poetry “Ozymandias” what
result are able to be found with the meaning of the poetry?

The result from the second reading with analyzation, the writer is able to find the variants of
ungrammaticality and compare them with one another, as well as furtherly analyzing the findings
from the first reading to be able to decipher the poetry and the meaning behind it that is given by
the author, which is the visage message that boast Ozymandias’s glory and the reality that
nothing ever truly last.

It’s important for us to read from the very beginning to be able to grasp the full meaning,
yes, we did find several interesting and important findings from the first level of reading that is
important and integral to understand the poetry wholly, but from the first stanza we got a very
straight forward information that a person or a traveler is traveling to a very unique or antique
land, this stanza is very straightforward. What is in turn most interesting of the poetry is its
depiction of the idea that nothing will ever last, the poetry starts of very straightforward with the
understanding of a traveler that comes to an antique land whos reason we have not known, yet in
his journey he found a visage with a message that boasted achievments, that shows power and
might beyond other and more than that, the visage is not just there for decoration but a
declaration of what is more that the ruler is which is Ozymandias. The unggramaticalities that the
writer found is how the visage gives a vivid message of power and accomplishment that is no
longer visible or is at grasp, in essence the part of the poetry that says “My name is Ozymandias,
King of Kings Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” vs Nothing beside remains. Round
the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
In 1 part the message of power and such accomplishment is so visible, yet in the next we find
that nothing is there, nothing remains, and that nothing is left no more. One of them is full of
might yet the other shows the reality that not even the greatest achievement can last forever, and
the visage is a humbling realization of that fact. Even the visage that stand tall once does not last
in the course of time.

Through further analysis, the writer can find the matrix of this poem which involves,
power, might, achievements, and time. The writer formulates the matrix of the poem as Power,
might, strength, and achievements does not stand the ravaging power of time, time catches all
and nothing last forever.

Conclusion

Through the Riffaterre (1978)’s theories, this poem is analyzed by the writer using the
semiotic approach. This approach includes two levels of reading which are the first level of
reading or heuristic reading and also the second level of reading or the hermeneutic reading. The
poetry Ozymandias is a powerful poetry that challenges thoughts of immortality or the thought
that glorifies achievements among other things. Furthermore the method to analyze the poetry
helps the writer to analyze the poetry in a much deeper understanding and with the method, the
writer are able to decipher the meaning of the poetry in a much deeper layer. The poetry
Ozymandias contains inconsistencies for some, since the poetry both portrays the might and
power of a king, and the achievements that the king “Ozymandias” achieved during his reign.
Yet on the later part, the poetry took a turn by notifying that none of his achievements remains.
The semiotic approach enables for repeated reading of the poetry which resulted into a better
understanding of the poetry. All of the accomplishment that the former king Ozymandias so
highly boasted, turns to sand and is enveloped by the ravaging power of time, as his last visage
lies, his powerful words of fanfaronade is his last standing achievement, mere words, while his
castle, his totem and all are nothing more than just a distant memory.

Reference

Shelley, P.B. (no date) Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe shelley, Poetry Foundation. Available at:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46565/ozymandias (Accessed: 16 June 2023).
(No date) Sparknotes. Available at: https://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/shelley/section2/
(Accessed: 16 June 2023).

LitCharts (no date) Ozymandias Summary & Analysis by Percy Bysshe Shelley, LitCharts.
Available at: https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/percy-bysshe-shelley/ozymandias
(Accessed: 16 June 2023).

Appendix

Ozymandias

BY PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY

I met a traveller from an antique land,

Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,

Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;

And on the pedestal, these words appear:

My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.”