Defining Greek Narrative
Exploring the evolution of storytelling in ancient Greece
Douglas Cairns editor Ruth Scodel editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Edinburgh University Press
Published:24th Mar '14
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This insightful exploration of Greek narratives reveals their distinct qualities and shared elements, as presented in Defining Greek Narrative.
In Defining Greek Narrative, the author delves into the unique characteristics and shared elements of the Greek narrative tradition. This exploration aims to identify what is distinctly Greek across various periods and genres, while also tracing the evolution of narrative techniques and themes throughout history. By examining the intricacies of storytelling, the book sheds light on the ways in which Greek narratives have shaped and been shaped by their cultural contexts.
The volume is structured around two main objectives: first, to articulate the essential qualities that define Greek narratives, and second, to analyze the development of narrative forms over time. The contributors, each with their own expertise, engage with a range of questions that highlight the complexities of Greek literature. They investigate the similarities and differences between Greek epics, such as those by Homer, and other ancient texts like the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Hebrew Bible.
Moreover, Defining Greek Narrative addresses the limitations of Greek historians, exploring what they often overlook in their accounts. The book also examines how lyric poetry influences narrative techniques, demonstrating the interconnectedness of different literary genres. Through this comprehensive analysis, the volume offers valuable insights into the rich tapestry of Greek storytelling and its lasting impact on literature as a whole.
This collection is unparalleled, whether as individual essays or as a whole. We could of course isolate this or that article according to personal interest, but the whole book is an exceptional opportunity to cross narrative Greek literature in all its genres, from Homer to Heliodorus, from epic to lyricism, to tragedy, to historiography and the novel, and to extend it towards the ancient Orient (Bible, Mesopotamia) and even Japan until modern times. The authors' reflections and arguments are of consistently high quality, and the bibliographic arsenal (especially Anglophone) is well supplied. (Translated from French) -- Françoise Létoublon, University Grenoble Alpes (Emerita) * Agora *
This volume offers original and compelling treatments of the ‘Greekness’ of Greek narrative, and it is a provocative beginning to what promises to be a long and exciting conversation… Tradition and innovation meet in this collection, and most stimulating are those essays that combine methodologies, wedding formal analysis with literary interpretation… This is a valuable book, both for the quality of the individual essays and the scholarship that it is sure to generate. -- Robin J. Greene, Providence College * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *
The more Greek literature is viewed against the background of the great West Asian literary traditions, the stranger it looks. This audacious volume, a landmark work in the emerging fields of historical narratology and comparative literary history, probes the roots of that strangeness, and how distinctively Greek ways of telling stories came about. * Nick Lowe, Royal Holloway, University of London *
ISBN: 9780748680108
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 734g
392 pages