The ode concept is part of the terminology of literature and specifically of one of its poetic genres, the lyrical genre. An ode is a composition in verse, whose main characteristic is the tone of praise or exaltation that is dedicated to praising a character or an idea. It is a genre in which the subjectivity of the poet expresses a feeling of admiration and devotion. You could say that the ode is like a tribute in the form of a verse.
Driven in ancient Greece by the poet Pindar
Like most literary expressions, the ode appeared in the context of the classical world, specifically in ancient Greece, with the poet Pindar being its main precursor. This type of poetry began by staging with a musical accompaniment (with a voice and a musical instrument such as the lyre or in the form of a choir). With the musical resource a more lyrical tone was achieved.
Characteristics of the Odes
In its classic version this genre is presented in regular stanzas and with varied rhymes. The chosen theme is related to some historical event (the victory of an athlete in the Olympic Games or the feats of a famous warrior), although it can also refer to the exaltation of love, a virtue or a feeling of fulfillment.
Throughout the history of literature, the ode has been used by the Latin poet Horacio and, later, by a whole series of famous poets: Garcilaso de la Vega, Petrarca, Fray Luis de León or Federico García Lorca. In the twentieth century, the Chilean writer Pablo Neruda cultivated this genre with a new dimension, since the odes are dedicated to the simplest and closest things (in his work "Elementary Odes" he exalted onion, wine or the city of Valparaiso).
Ode to joy
We have already mentioned that originally the ode was accompanied by music. This fusion occurred again in the 18th century when Beethoven gave musical form to the "Ode to Joy" by the German poet Schiller. This piece of music is known as the Ninth Symphony and is the official anthem of the European Union.
Although the musical symphony is the best known and most popular, it should not be forgotten that its origin and inspiration lie in Schiller's ode. In this poem freedom is exalted as a path that leads to joy. It was written in the historical context of the French Revolution, an event that was very suggestive for a romantic poet like Schiller.
