☝️ Key Points
- The lyrics of the song 'Oh Fortuna' are part of the song cycle 'Carmina Burana', composed by Carl Orff and in medieval Latin.
- 'Oh Fortuna' is about the Roman goddess of luck and fate. The ever-changing luck and fate are compared to the constantly changing moon.
- The text discusses the unpredictability of life, how fate can change it for better or worse.
- It refers to the wheel of fortune, a symbol of the changing nature of destiny.
- The song ends with an expression of frustration and fear of the unpredictability of life and a call for everyone to share the singer's worries and fears.
Interpretation
"O Fortuna" is part of the song cycle
Carmina Burana, written by the German composer Carl Orff. The text is written in medieval Latin and dates back to the 13th century.
The lyrics of the song refer to Fortuna, the Roman goddess of luck and fate. The opening lines "O Fortuna, Velut luna, Statu variabilis!" compare Fortuna to the moon, which constantly changes its shape - a symbol of the variability of destiny and luck in life.
The next passage speaks of the instability of life and how Fortuna plays with people: "Semper crescis, Aut decrescis; Vita detestabilis Nunc obdurat et tunc curat ludo mentis aciem". This can be interpreted as the power of destiny to change life for better or for worse.
The following lines: "Sors immanis Et inanis, Rota tu volubilis" refer to the wheel of Fortuna, another common symbol of the fickleness of destiny.
The last stanza speaks of the fear and suffering caused by the whims of destiny, and ends with a call for everyone to mourn with the singer: "Quod per sortem Sternit fortem, Mecum omnes plangite!"
Overall, "O Fortuna" is an expression of human frustration and fear of the unpredictability of life and the constant fluctuation between luck and misfortune."