Analysis Of Sappho's Tithonus Poem

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Sappho’s Tithonus poem bears an interesting duality of historical and literary relevance. Within this essay I focus on the relationship between Sappho and her audience as well as her use of myth, bearing in mind historical context and literary language, and structure.
Sappho’s historical background is limited, with scant concrete evidence as to how her poems were performed, what her life was like or what type of relationship she had with her peers. The generally accepted theory is that her ‘circle’ consisted of a chorus, of which she was the leader. This circle was most likely a group of young women, some of which may have been her lovers. While Sappho’s history remains mysterious, her Tithonus poem reveals some information about Sappho’s …show more content…

However, the interpretation does not make sense as the story of Tithonus more demonstrates Eos’s failure to ask Zeus for eternal youth in addition to immortality. My initial interpretation is further disproved when considering the tale of Ganymede, as he is a mortal who successfully achieves both immortality and eternal youth. The Tithonus reference serves to reinforce the singer’s advice to her audience: “handsome and young then, yet in time grey age / o’ertook him, husband of immortal wife.” (Sappho 58.11-12). “Yet in time grey age / o’ertook him” closely mirrors the language the singer uses earlier to describe how her hair turned white. Additionally, Tithonus was left to continuously age while married to an eternally beautiful wife, just like the singer, Sappho, was constantly surrounded by younger girls. The Tithonus portion of the poem is also interesting as it contributes to the poem’s unique structure; the poem never returns to the initial narrative. Instead, the singer concludes with Tithonus, adding to the emotional impact of the poem. The brevity of its conclusion reflects the brevity of the singer’s and the audience’s lives, the body grows old and eventually they will not be able to do all they used to.
Sappho’s Tithonus poem holds much in the way of historical and literary value. It elaborates on Sappho’s relationship with her circle, as

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