“Ode To Joy” by Friedrich Schiller

Freidrich Schiller / free-der-ish shi-luh/ was a poet, playwright and a historian. The original German version "Ode to Joy" was titled "An die Freude" /an diː ˈfroi-də/ which meant "To Joy". Ode to Joy represents the triumph of universal brotherhood against war and desperation. It was composed in 1785 and published in the following year in Thalia. It is said to be his friendship with Christian Gottfried Körner inspired Schiller to write the ode. A revised version was published posthumously in 1808 in which two lines of the first stanza were changed and the last stanza was omitted.

The revised version of the poem became widely known after Beethoven used a slightly altered version of it in the final movement of his Ninth Symphony in 1824. This incorporation is often seen as a radical call for equality, freedom, and brotherhood. The fact that Beethoven chose a text authored by Schiller isn’t a coincidence: the composer was indeed an admirer of the latter’s work as a philosopher. Beethoven is usually remembered for his musical work, but what is less known about him is that he was a fervent idealist. Together with Schiller, the other main authors who influenced Beethoven are Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Immanuel Kant. Beethoven's tune was adopted as the "Anthem of Europe" by the Council of Europe in 1972 and subsequently by the European Union. 

Once again we are looking at a translation, this time of a German poem. There are many translations as well as adaptations of this poem. I will be using the standard Carnegie Hall version for my discussion.  

The original has 6 stanzas. In the first line itself we are introduced to the main theme of the poem – friendship and brotherhood:

Oh friends, no more of these sounds!
Let us sing more cheerful songs,
More full of joy!

The poet is not happy with his current situation of discord and he yearns for accord and harmony among his friends. In the next stanza, the poet personifies “Joy” and refers to it as a quality that distinguishes divinity

Joy, bright spark of divinity,
Daughter of Elysium,
Fire-inspired we tread
Thy sanctuary!
Thy magic power reunites
All that custom has divided;
All men become brothers
Under the sway of thy [Joy’s] gentle wings.

 

Joy is the Daughter of Elysium – it is interesting that the poet should refer to Elysium as the home of Joy. Elysium or the Elysian Fields is a conception of the afterlife maintained by some classical Greek religious and philosophical sects and cults.  Initially, only mortals related to the gods and other heroes could go there after death.  Later, those chosen by the gods, the righteous, and the heroic too were admitted to the Elysian Fields after death where they lived a blessed and happy life, and indulged in whatever employment they had enjoyed in life.

Inspired by fire, the poetic persona and his friends enter and walk about in the sanctuary dedicated to Joy. Once within the sanctuary of Joy, there is no room for cultural norms and taboos that divided humanity – all men become a part of one brotherhood. In the last line the poet creates a picture of the poet and friends sheltering under the protective wings of Joy like a brood of chicks under the wings of a hen.

Whoever has created
An abiding friendship,
Or has won
A true and loving wife,
All who can call at least one soul theirs,
Join in our song of praise!
But any who cannot must creep tearfully
Away from our circle. (completion)

In the third stanza, the poet invites anyone who had a good friend, a faithful, a loving wife, etc. to join him in his song in praise of that special relationship they have. According to the poet anyone who is not blessed with affectionate relationships has no place in the circle formed by him and his friends. Circle as we know has all sort sorts references due to it being regarded as the most perfect shape on earth.

All creatures drink of joy
At nature’s breast.
Just and unjust
Alike taste of her gift;
She gave us kisses and the fruit of the vine,

A tried friend to the end.
Even the worm can feel contentment,
And the cherub stands before God!
Gladly, like the heavenly bodies
Which He set on their courses through the splendor of the firmament;
Thus, brothers, you should run your race,
As a hero going to conquest.

 In the next section, the poet project nature as a bountiful nurturing mother that treats all alike. I was wondering whether the terms “just” and “unjust” has Platonic references, considering the reference to Elysian Fields in the previous stanza. Platonic concept of justice deals with balance and one’s place in the grand scheme of things.

Nature is a friend that would stay with you to the end – a tried and tested friend, says the poet. Even the meanest of creatures – the worm – finds satiation and peace in nature. According to the poet – our course is set by god – we have a predetermined destiny. Each one of us is a part of the Great Chain of Beings with pre-determined status – a feudalistic idea – which I find very comforting considering all the effort we have to expend in order to make a place for ourselves that robs us of so much of our time on earth. As our position is fated, there is no point in making a fuss. We should approach life as a hero “going to conquest”. – Once again I see an unstated reference to a blessed afterlife here for those who accept their lot and march on heroically whether one is a worm or an eagle in the light of the earlier reference to the Elysian Field  

You millions, I embrace you.
This kiss is for all the world!
Brothers, above the starry canopy
There must dwell a loving Father.
Do you fall in worship, you millions?
World, do you know your Creator?
Seek Him in the heavens!
Above the stars must He dwell

In the last stanza, the poet broadcast his love to the entire world. He expresses a deep conviction in the presence of a benign fatherly god “above the starry canopy”. He asks the world whether they worshiped this god on their knees. He asks whether they know their creator – I wonder whether there is any connection between this line and the section Blake’s poem Tygre where he questions the divine logic in creating a tiger. The poetic persona encourages the world to seek god and assures them that god must be living above the stars. Zimbabwe which was earlier known as Rhodesia used the tune for its national anthem from 1974 until 1979. However, in a letter written in 1800 to his friend Korner, Schiller had called the Ode as "detached from reality" and "of value maybe for us two, but not for the world, nor for the art of poetry". This indicates a profound sense of disillusionment in the poet.