In Ozymandias, what does the broken statue symbolize?

• A. Immortality
• B. Fallen Authority
• C. Pride
• D. Wealth

Answer: (B)

The main idea this question tests is how power and authority endure—or fail—over time. The broken statue in Ozymandias shows fallen authority: a ruler who once projected immense control is now reduced to fragments, abandoned in a vast, empty desert. The statue’s ruined form communicates that political power and empire are temporary, even when paired with grand monuments and boastful inscriptions. The line on the pedestal—boasting of lasting works—becomes an ironic counterpoint to the reality that time and nature erase such monuments. The emptiness surrounding the ruins emphasizes the ruler’s isolation and the impermanence of his rule. So, the statue symbolizes fallen authority, rather than immortality, wealth, or pride.