Sapphic Poetry
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The tenderness, the amorous outline and the distinctive shades of constructive melancholy constitute some of the most substantial characteristics of the parts of the Sapphic poetical works that have survived up until today. All lovers of Ancient Greek literatur - or poetry in general- could find themselves in for an unusual suprise during their indulgence in Sappho´s poetical world; this suprise could certainly be greater had Archilochus and Alkaeos not pre-existed and co-existed in full respect of the public. The driving force and very essence of Sappho´s poetical creation lies in sentiment. This is one of the few times that we do not lend this term a conventional and shallow romanticism; it is very spectrum through which the poetessunderstands and perceives the world; it is that special something that is unbreakably connected with her existence. Sappho´s poetry overwhelms the reader with a variety of very different impressions. Although some parts of her poems are missing, thus lending the poems a fragmentary character, they nevertheless convey an utterly distinctive poetical scent. And yet all poems are sohehow permeated by a familiar rhythm, both in terms of language as well as in terms of meaning. Her vigour and optimism towards life, the tactfulness and courtesy with which she approaches her subjects are clearly evident in her poetical work. Disarmingly honest, having no illusions whatsoever, the poetess handles her unfortunate or unpleasant experiences but at the same time she cannot help conveying a sence of melancholy that sometimes develops into bitterness. Being profoundly pious, Sappho is distinguished by her special respect towards the gods and especially her worship of the goddess Aphrodite. In her poems, she often describes scenes during which the goddess appears quite naturally; scenes which confound dreamlike experiences with figments of marvellous poetical images. |
Nature and the great effect it exerts on Man is yet another subject of Sappho´s poetry. Sappho lends nature an alerting and invigorating character that sharpens Man´s senses and calls him to feel nature through its mobility, vigour and verve. For Sappho, nature does not constitute yet another self-existent aesthetic value; it is inextricably linked with Man and his human concerns. It is almost impossible throught these few lines to adequately approach even the most important and distinctive facets or different aspects of the poetess. From a theoretical, literary point of view, it is certainly worth mentioning W. Schadewaldt´s interpretation of what a work of art is: a work of art manifests itself to its observers as a mountainrange; depending on the spot one starts climbing from, one sees a different image, a different aspect of the mountains; every single one of these images may be the real one. In conlusion, we should add that Sappho´s poetry is loaded with personals symbols. The best way to approach them lies in our individual perception of these symbols. What makes Sappho familiar to all of us is this unique virtue that becomes starkly evident and permeates the whole of her poetical work; the virtue of standing courageously and gratefully before the beauty of life and at the same time observing it slowly, as it slips from her hands and perishes. |
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The Verse |