Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony Fourth Movement

Question: Discuss about theBeethovens Ninth Symphonyfor Fourth Movement. Answer: Summary of Ã… ½iÃ… ¾eks Argument in the Article and the Video In the video, Zizek acknowledges that the Ninth Symphony is usually taken for granted by various people as a form of an ode to people. Similarly, Zizek asserts that the Ninth Symphony is perceived as an ode to every individuals freedom and the brotherhood. Zizek draws the viewers attention or focuses on the Ninth Symphony because he uses it as an ideal ideological container. For instance, in the article Zizek argues that the song was used as a nationalist anthem for Nazis, and at the same time, it was used as a communist song by the Soviet Union. Similarly, the tune was used when the Cultural Revolution happened in China. In essence, Zizek is telling humanity that ideology is a very unconscious fantasy that shapes individuals reality whether they recognize it or not (Zizek, 2007). Zizek discusses Ode to Joy of Beethoven from the Ninth Symphony, as well as how various people have embraced it. He argues that people with diverse political ideologies acknowledged the Ninth Symphony including the Nazis, pro-apartheid Rhodesians, Peruvian guerilla warriors, and the current European Union. Ideology, according to Zizek must be an unfilled container that is open to all kinds of interpretations. As such, despite the apparent brotherhood message in the Ode to Joy, the Beethoven was always practicing an ideology critique. Zizek further asserts that when a particular group unites together in brotherhood, there must be an exclusion of someone else and Beethovens job is to state that exclusion. In both the article and the video, Zizek asserts that Beethovens Ninth Symphony was a tune that was favorable to the Nazis. Currently, the tune is the European Unions unofficial anthem. Equally, Perus renowned Communist Party called the Shining Path viewed the tune as an ode to various proletariats. Moreover, the tune was a theme that kept on recurring in A Clockwork Orange. According to Zizek (2009), the tune is very prominent and famous in Die hard. Hence, Zizeks argument was revolving at finding out how a single artwork can be used by many varied ideologies for extremely different purposes. Response to the Statement I agree with Zizek that music is more than a supplication or learning a language and it is also more than merely something people listen to for pleasure. According to Zizek, the Ninth Symphony is used to give voice to critiques of various ideologies, for instance, the tune notes that millions come together to embrace one another, but the ones that are not happy can steal their weeping away. Through the tune, Zizek was showing people that as Europe was making final adjustments in Lisbon for a continental solidarity, the Turks were not embraced because of their ideology. Additionally, when East German and West German Olympic teams were coerced to compete jointly, gold medals were given to the Ode to Joy strains in lieu of any national anthem. The Ninth Symphony was used as the anthem, the same way it was used during Ian Smiths Rhodesian regime. References Jones, J. (2013). Slavoj Zizek Examines the Perverse Ideology of Beethovens Ode to Joy. Retrieved from, https://www.openculture.com/2013/11/slavoj-zizek-examines-the-perverse-ideology-of-beethovens-ode-to-joy.html OLeary., D.D. (2013). The Perverts Guide to Ideology. Retrieved from, https://alibi.com/film/45951/The-Perverts-Guide-to-Ideology.html Proyect, L. (2013). A Perverts Guide to Zizek. Retrieved from, https://www.counterpunch.org/2013/10/18/a-perverts-guide-to-zizek/ Zizek., S. (2007). Ode to Joy, Followed by Chaos and Despair. Retrieved from, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/24/opinion/24zizek.html?_r=2