Matthew Franks

Gruppe aus dem Tartarus
By Friedrich Schiller

Horch – wie Murmeln des empörten Meeres,
Wie durch hohler Felsen Becken weint ein Bach,
Stöhnt dort dumpfigtief ein schweres – leeres,
Qualerpresstes Ach!
(flickr.com)
This image relates to the poem by showing storm
clouds approaching a shadowy shore, while also
starting to blot out the Sun's light. The clouds
represent the building despair that the passengers
(symbolized by the shore) are experiencing, in
which their hope begins to fade, like the sunlight.
Schmerz verzerret
Ihr Gesicht – Verzweiflung sperret
Ihren Rachen fluchend auf.
Hohl sind ihre Augen – ihre Blicke
Spähen bang nach des Cocytus Brücke,
Folgen tränend seinem Trauerlauf.
Fragen sich einander ängstlich leise,
Ob noch nicht Vollendung sei?
Ewigkeit schwingt über ihnen Kreise,
Bricht die Sense des Saturns entzwei.
(oxfordlieder.co.uk)

Group from Hades
(English Translation)

Hark! Like the angry murmuring of the sea,
or a brook sobbing through pools in hollow rocks,
from the depths arises a muffled groan,
heavy, empty and tormented!
Pain distorts
their faces – in despair
their mouths open wide, cursing.
Their eyes are hollow – their frightened gaze
strains towards Cocytus’ bridge,
following as they weep that river’s mournful course.
Anxiously, softly, they ask one another
if the end is yet nigh.
Eternity sweeps in circles above them,
breaking Saturn’s scythe in two.
(oxfordlieder.co.uk)


Biographical Information

Friedrich von Schiller was born in a very religious family and during his childhood, he would often spend time studying the Bible. Wanting him to become a pastor, Schiller's parents had the local pastor teach him in Latin and Greek, in which Schiller began to gain an affinity towards. While he was at the Karlsschule Stuttgart (an elite military academy), he and his friend Johann Wolfgang von Goethe were reading works of Rousseau and were inspired to write a play, titled The Robbers. The poem was based on Schiller's experiences at the academy, and how he was forced to study and pursue certain topics; his life was ruled by a tyrannical overlord.
(britannica.com)


Analysis

In Friedrich Schiller's Gruppe aus dem Tartarus (otherwise known as Group from Hades), the speaker narrates the experiences of a group of people whose souls are passing on to the underworld. They worry about what's to come as they approach the end of their lives, up until all eternal light fades out. The speaker's portrayal is likely a sort of oracle or prophet, attributed to their knowledge of supernatural realms and deities, such as the Cocytus River and the god, Saturn. With that knowledge, the speaker is providing their client with a cryptic prophecy, ambiguously answering their question. Schiller uses figurative language to help the reader understand the environment in which the poem takes place by describing emotions, tone, the location, and its visuals. He begins the poem by personifying the sounds of flowing water, stating, "Like the angry murmuring of the sea, or a brook sobbing through pools in hollow rocks," to then use it as a comparison to a deep, spacious chasm, in order to detail the setting's ambiance. Following that description, Schiller mentions the emotions expressed by the passengers, "Pain distorts their faces - in despair... Their eyes are hollow - their frightened gaze," displaying the terrified state of they are in. The poem then ends with a metaphor comparing the separation of the passengers from life to the destruction of Saturn's scythe, which represents the consummation of the passage of time, meaning that their souls are lost from reality indefinitely. An interesting detail about this poem is how Schiller formatted it. He uses enjambment frequently in the second stanza, to put further emphasis on the emotions of the passengers, as well as their reactions. In addition, Schiller forms rhyming patterns (in the original German version) within the stanzas, with the first and third featuring an ABAB pattern; however, the second stanza contains an AABCCB rhyming scheme, putting even further emphasis on the middle of the poem by differentiating it from the others. The tone of the poem is quite prevalent and is more static than dynamic. The poem begins with an appalling tone, mentioning the fear of the passengers as they dwindle lower down into the underworld. The tone slightly shifts to grim as they realize there's no way out and their damnation is indisputable, so the passengers accept their fate. The overall theme of this poem is that there will be moments in your life that you may despise, unfortunately, most of which you must accept and move on from.

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