Antistrophe

Antistrophe meaning

Before we look at the 'antistrophe' in more detail, we must define some preliminary concepts surrounding the topic. First, we need to know that the epode is one part of a traditional Greek ode.

There are many variations of the ode. However, the Pindaric ode contains the epode we are looking at today.

Each section of the Pindaric ode usually consists of one poetic stanza, and the three combined parts make up a 'triad'. In ancient Greece, these odes were typically chanted aloud to an audience by a chorus.

The Greek chorus consisted of 12 to 50 people travelling across the stage, dancing and chanting in unison.

Now that we've gone through the basic concepts, let's tie them all together by looking at a definition of antistrophe:

To consider what antistrophe means in relation to an ode's structure, let's begin by looking at the term's origin.

Antistrophe origin

The word 'antistrophe' derives from the Greek antistrophē, which means 'turning back'. The term originates from the choruses movement pattern during the Pindaric ode. This illustrates why antistrophe is often referred to as the 'counter-turn'.

When the chorus chants the strophe (the turn), they move from right to left across the stage. When they chant the antistrophe, they 'turn' and move back to the original side (left to right). Finally, the chorus stops in the centre of the stage to chant the final epode (after-song).

This diagram represents the Pindaric ode chorus route:

The chorus would begin at the right side of the stage before moving to the left (strophe) and then back to the original side (antistrophe). They would finish their movement by standing centre stage to perform a final chant (epode).

In the Pindaric structure, the strophe and antistrophe are identical. This means that the lines' rhythm, meter, and length are the same in both stanzas. It doesn't matter which stylistic choices the poet makes for their verse as long as those choices are mirrored in both the strophe and antistrophe. In contrast, the epode always has a different metrical structure than the first two sections and is typically shorter.

Antistrophe function

Let's look at some of the critical functions of antistrophe over time.

Traditional Pindaric ode

As we know, the antistrophe, alongside the strophe and epode, makes up the Pindaric ode. When Pindar wrote his original ancient Greek odes, they functioned primarily to celebrate victorious athletes in major tournaments like the Olympian (now Olympic) games. Here's an excerpt from a translated version of Pindar's ode to Psaumis of Kamarina, the winner in the mule-chariot race.

You'll first notice Pindar revering Psaumis, claiming he is zealous, hospitable, and guileless. This tone of admiration is present across all of Pindar's odes. He often compares the subject to classic mythology and uses intense metaphorical imagery, making the athlete seem extraordinary and otherworldly.

Greek tragedy

The Pindaric ode was also customary within the parodos (opening song) of Greek tragedies. The chorus would perform the ode in much the same way as Pindar's traditional victory odes, moving across the stage in different directions as they recited the three sections.

Within Greek tragedies, the chorus functioned primarily to provide context to the audience and pass judgements on the play's action. For this reason, the tone of Pindaric odes within Greek tragedies often deviated from Pindar's traditional celebratory style. The strophe and antistrophe often present conflicting viewpoints; the epode could then optionally be used to pass a judgement on the dispute.

English 'Pindarics'

Throughout the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century, several English poets began to produce irregular odes loosely based upon the Pindaric structure. While these poems were named based on Pindar, it is a common misconception that they closely resemble Pindar's traditional victory odes. The form, meter and structure vary wildly, and the length of the verse is rarely consistent.

It was the looseness of the 'Pindarics' structure that attracted many seventeenth-century poets, like Alexander Pope (1688-1744), John Dryden (1631-1700) and Aphra Behn (1640-1689), to try their hand at the ode. In contrast, Pindar's odes strictly adhered to their three-part structure.

Some English poets did manage to produce authentic reinterpretations of the Pindaric ode. In particular, Thomas Gray (1716-1771) and Ben Jonson (1572-1637) created well-received poetry that remained faithful to the traditional three-part structure.

Antistrophe importance

You may be asking: if the strophe and the antistrophe mirror each other structurally, why do the terms need to be separate at all?

The simple answer is that it's all about the movement. The antistrophe allowed the action to happen; without it, the performance would be disjointed and static. It's important to remember that Greek odes were a performance. They were sung, accompanied by dance, and traditionally set to music. What resulted was a lively, theatrical stage performance which would excite and entertain the audience.

The antistrophe is also structurally significant. Within traditional odes, it expands upon the themes, imagery and concepts present in the strophe. Within Greek tragedies, the antistrophe acts as the strophe's counter; if the strophe suggests one idea, the antistrophe may argue against that idea. The epode could then optionally resolve the argument in the closing lines.

Antistrophe examples

Let's look at two examples of the antistrophe: one from the tragedies of ancient Greece, one from eighteenth-century England.

Sophocles - Oedipus Rex

Sophocles' (496BC-406BC) Oedipus Rex (429BC) shows us a classic example of the Pindaric ode within Greek tragedy. In the strophe preceding this excerpt, the chorus expresses their fear of the disease plaguing the city of Thebes. In the extract here, we see the antistrophe that follows.

Here the chorus calls upon Athena, Artemis and Phoebus to save them from the disease. We can see how the strophe and antistrophe within Greek tragedy often conflict with one another. If the strophe expresses fear at a situation, the antistrophe offers a solution; if the strophe argues one viewpoint, the antistrophe argues another.

The ancient Greeks believed in their Gods and accepted that they had control over human destinies, so praying to Gods like Athena and Artemis was perceived as a reasonable solution for tragedies like natural disasters or plagues.

Thomas Gray - 'The Bard: A Pindaric Ode'

One influential English poet who authentically replicated the Pindaric structure within his work was Thomas Gray. In 'The Bard: A Pindaric Ode' (1757), Gray tells the story of King Edward travelling home through the Welsh mountains after a victorious battle. In the strophe, the King's celebrations give the passage an optimistic tone. All of this changes when they encounter a Welsh bard perched high upon the mountain:

In this antistrophe, the malicious bard curses the King, invoking the ghosts of three of his victims upon him. Language like 'foaming flood', 'haggard eyes', and 'deep sorrows of his lyre' makes the passage's tone dark and ominous.

This 1778 painting by Benjamin West (1738-1820) depicts the Bard standing high above the cliffs looking down upon King Edward.

We see first-hand how the parallel structure of the strophe and antistrophe can be used to great effect. In this case, the poem's language and tone shift abruptly from celebration to fear and dread.