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Through the use of diction, the author creates a tone of reverence. For example, he uses the word "wonderful" and states that the animals "resign" to him. The trenches he makes when he plows the earth is referred to as "shining." Man demands respect in this ode. He is seen as superior to all others, including the animals and even earth itself. The animals bend to his will. The fish are described as "lithe," meaning that they are easily bent or persuaded. All other creatures are inferior to him in every way, and it is man's right to rule over them and use them for his own benefit. Man plows the earth with "stallions" as opposed to horses or oxen. He deserves only the best. The "sultry" shoulders of the oxen shows that man works his animals hard, having them do all the work while he reaps the rewards. This puts him on a godly level, as he is above everything and does not have to do the work himself. He is described as "secure," which tells the reader that man cannot be destroyed. This is contradicted, however, when it is stated that death is the only thing he is not secure against. This is where the tone begins to change from one of reverence to one of sorrow. Man's city stands "proudly," but only when his laws are kept. When they are not, anarchy results, going back to this new tone of sorrow. Man is unable to control the forces of death and anarchy, bringing him back down to earth and reminding the reader that man is not as godlike as he may seem at first glance. |
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