Irony of Earthly Power :: essays research papers fc

People live vitality wanting of all timeything they cant afford. Millions of Americans idealize famous movie actors and musicians, and regard to aspire to that degree of wealth. Many people are envious of much(prenominal) billionaires as Bill Gates, and tell themselves they could have done that. Everyone wants to be rich. They olfactory perception that if they had all the money they wanted, they could truly be happy. The truth is that money and wealthiness really dont bring anyone an unsurpassable or eternal amount of happiness. For example, winners of the Powerball lottery game may seem to have plunge happiness, but on a recent Oprah show they told of their extreme depression, and take down the debt that money cost them. In fact, being rich or mesomorphic brings just the opposite of happiness. It brings depression, and a legacy of nothingness. wiz example of this is seen in Percy Bysshe Shelleys Ozymandias. A traveller was talking with the speaker of the poem, and descri bing his recent trip to an antique land. (1)1 The traveler tells of a statue, erected for the King2. But now, that statue is half sunk, a shattered visage lies . (4) Clearly, the King the statue was created for no longer reigns, neither hither on earth nor in human minds. In Shelleys poem, the traveler describes the characteristics of the King very well, and implies his unhappiness. whose frown,/and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command (4-5) could entirely be attributes of a deeply unhappy man. Even fountain all over slaves did not delight him. The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed (8) on the toils of the slaves did not bring him joy. The King may have been powerful, but that power plainly did not bring him pleasure.Perhaps the greatest proof that riches and power did not bring the King immense happiness is his decrepit statue. His nitty-gritty to the world is ironic in itself. Look on my works, Ye mighty, and despair/postal code beside cadaver . (11-12) Perhaps Ozymandias can be taken two ways. One way could be a threat to anyone who dares to claim themselves the king of kings . (10) Ozymandias possibly was stating to those men Look at my success. No one can ever surpass this success The irony is that Ozymandias success is now nothing. Nothing remains but his words. The face of his statue is broken, just like his legacy.