Ozymandias is a literary character that appears in Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem of the same name. The poem was published in 1818 and tells the story of an ancient king, Ozymandias, who built a great empire, but is now remembered only by a broken statue in the desert.
The statue, which is described in the poem as “a shattered visage” with “two vast and trunkless legs of stone,” serves as a metaphor for the fleeting nature of human power and the inevitability of decline and oblivion.
The poem’s message is clear: no matter how great a person or empire may seem in their own time, eventually they will fade into obscurity and be forgotten. This idea has been a recurring theme in literature and art for centuries, and has been applied to various historical figures and empires throughout history.
Singapore
Beyond just remembering the hard work of our forefathers, the idea of Ozymandias can be seen as a warning against complacency and a reminder that even the most successful nations and leaders are not immune to the ravages of time and the shifting tides of history. Lee Kuan Yew, the founder of modern Singapore, himself acknowledged the transience of power and the importance of staying vigilant and adaptable in the face of changing circumstances.
Will the the incumbent become the the Ozymandias? We shall see.
