Irony of Earthly Power :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People live life wanting everything they can’t afford. Millions of Americans idealize famous movie actors and musicians, and wish to aspire to that degree of wealth. Many people are envious of such billionaires as Bill Gates, and tell themselves they could have done that. Everyone wants to be rich. They feel that if they had all the money they wanted, they could truly be happy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The truth is that money and riches really don’t bring anyone an unsurpassable or measureless amount of happiness. For example, winners of the Powerball lottery game may seem to have found happiness, but on a recent Oprah show they told of their extreme depression, and even the debt that money cost them. In fact, being rich or powerful brings just the opposite of happiness. It brings depression, and a legacy of nothingness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One example of this is seen in Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Ozymandias. A traveler was talking with the speaker of the poem, and describing his recent journey to â€Å"[†¦] an antique land†. (1)1 The traveler tells of a statue, erected for the King2. But now, that statue is â€Å"[†¦] half sunk, a shattered visage lies [†¦]†. (4) Clearly, the King the statue was created for no longer reigns, neither here on earth nor in human minds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Shelley’s poem, the traveler describes the characteristics of the King very well, and implies his unhappiness. â€Å"[†¦] whose frown,/and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command [†¦]† (4-5) could only be attributes of a deeply unhappy man. Even power over slaves did not delight him. â€Å"[†¦] 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 evidently did not bring him pleasure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Perhaps the greatest proof that riches and power did not bring the King immense happiness is his decrepit statue. His message to the world is ironic in itself. â€Å"[†¦] Look on my works, Ye mighty, and despair!/Nothing beside remains [†¦]†. (11-12) Perhaps Ozymandias’ can be taken two ways. One way could be a threat to anyone who dares to claim themselves the â€Å"[†¦] king of kings [†¦]†. (10) Ozymandias perhaps 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.