The Ode

The Ode’s Origin  The word “ode" comes from the Greek word aeidein, which means to sing or chant.  Definition: a formal address to an event, a person, or a thing not present.  Categorized under lyric poetry (meant to be sung or recited to music; lyric poems enable poets to express feelings and personal emotions)  The ode was originally accompanied by music and dance.  There are four typical types of odes: the Pindaric, Horatian/English, Irregular, and Romantic.

Pindaric  The Pindaric is named for the ancient Greek poet Pindar, who is credited with inventing the ode.  Pindaric odes were performed with a chorus and dancers, and often composed to celebrate athletic victories.  Structure: made up of three, ten line stanzas  1. Formal opening (or strophe)  2. Antistrophe (mirrors the opening)  3. Epode (final closing or stand)  The first two parts are structured alike. The stand is different from the first two movements.  The strophe would be one point-of-view. The antistrophe the opposite, the stand a conclusion somewhere in the middle. The poet determines meter, stanza length, rhyme scheme etc. for the two types of movement.  Or, the Pindaric ode can be written in triads of three verses (the strophe, antistrophe, and epode can be repeated)

Horatian, Homostrophic, or English Ode  The Horatian ode, named for the Roman poet Horace, is more tranquil and contemplative than the Pindaric ode.  It is less formal, less ceremonious (used for being read than being produced theatrically)  The Horatian ode typically uses a regular, recurrent stanza pattern.  The English Ode is slightly more structured. Traditionally, the poet can choose the number of lines, the rhyme pattern and meter, but many stick to the following conventions:  Ten lines per stanza  Rhyme pattern ABABCDECDE  Iambic pentameter rhythm

Irregular  The Irregular Ode, known also as the Cowleyan Ode, returns to visit the traditional themes of the Classic Ode.  This was the ode most often written during the Romantic Era. Some believe that it was created by accident, when the rules of the Classic Ode were misinterpreted.  Rhyme and meter are still used, but in a much more relaxed fashion  Line length and stanza structure are disjointed.

Romantic Ode The Romantic Ode often followed the Irregular Ode's structure and the English Ode's meditative quality. There are three major rules that appear in nearly all Romantic Odes: 1. The use of appearance of nature. 2. A meditative state that focuses on a particular internal issue. 3. A resolution, which occurs as a vision, a decision, or an action that returns the speaker of the poem back to the original scene in nature.

Ode Format  It must have more than one stanza.  All the stanzas have the same meter and rhyming scheme  Every line rhymes with at least one other line in the same stanza.  These properties are already sufficient to call a poem an ode.  Other forms that are also Odes:  1. Ballad  2. Rhyme Royal  3. Georgian Shairi  4. Romantic Stanza  5. A poem of rhyming couplets

John Keats  John Keats was born on Halloween, 1795 in London, England.  He had three siblings: George, Thomas, and Frances Mary "Fanny“.  Both of his parents died, Keats was taken care of his grandmother who was after the family money – and John and his brothers moved to Hampstead.  Keats met his lifelong friend Charles Armitage Brown there, whom he moved in with after the death of Keats’ brother, George.  Unknown to Keats, he was suffering already from the early stages of tuberculosis  Around this time Keats met, fell in love with, and became engaged to eighteen year old "Fanny" Brawne.  Their relationship inspired spiritual development for Keats, but it was also tempestuous, filled with jealousy and infatuation of a first love.  Many for a time were convinced that Fanny was the cause of his illness, or, used that as an excuse to try to keep her away from him.  Keats had a hemorrhage and gave Fanny permission to break their engagement. She refused, and in his last days she remained loyal to him.

John Keats continued  Keats felt well enough to visit Italy with painter friend, Joseph Severn hoping for a full recovery.  Keats soon fell into a deep depression. When his attending doctor James Clark told Keats he had tuberculosis, Keats longed to end his life and avoid the humiliating physical and mental torments of tuberculosis.  He was confined to bed, with friend, Severn a devoted nurse.  Keats would not write to Fanny and would not read a letter from her for fear of the pain it would cause him, although he constantly clasped her marble she had given him for comfort.  During bouts of coughing, fever, nightmares, Keats also tried to cheer his friend, who held him till his end, in 1827.

Ode on Melancholy  No, no! go not to Lethe, neither twist Wolf’s-bane, tight-rooted, for its poisonous wine; Nor suffer thy pale forehead to be kissed By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine; Make not your rosary of yew-berries, Nor let the beetle nor the death-moth be Your mournful Psyche, nor the downy owl A partner in your sorrow’s mysteries; For shade to shade will come too drowsily, And drown the wakeful anguish of the soul. But when the melancholy fit shall fall Sudden from heaven like a weeping cloud, That fosters the droop-headed flowers all, And hides the green hill in an April shroud; Then glut thy sorry on a morning rose, Or on the rainbow of the salt sand-wave, Or on the wealth of globed peonies; Or if thy mistress some rich anger shows, Emprison her soft hand, and let her rave, And feed deep, deep upon her peerless eyes. She dwells with Beauty – Beauty that must die; And Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips Bidding adieu; and aching Pleasure nigh. Turning to poison while the bee- mouth sips; Ay, in the very temple of delight Veiled Melancholy has her Sovran shrine, Though seen of none save him whose strenuous tongue Can burst Joy’s grape against his palate fine; His soul shall taste the sadness of her might, And be among her cloudy trophies hung.She dwells with Beauty – Beauty that must die; And Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips Bidding adieu; and aching Pleasure nigh. Turning to poison while the bee- mouth sips; Ay, in the very temple of delight Veiled Melancholy has her Sovran shrine, Though seen of none save him whose strenuous tongue Can burst Joy’s grape against his palate fine; His soul shall taste the sadness of her might, And be among her cloudy trophies hung.

Works Cited  prmMID/ prmMID/ prmMID/5784   an-ode-poem an-ode-poem an-ode-poem  m m m