Ekphrasis in Ancient and Modern Literature

Explores interconnections between the use of ekphrasis in ancient Graeco-Roman literature and contemporary poetry.

This volume examines the interaction between literary and visual representation through ekphrasis in contemporary poetry and ancient literature, viewing ekphrasis as a dynamic and evolving concept rather than a fixed category. Contributions from academic experts and poets address how ancient ekphrasis relates to ancient Graeco-Roman literature and contemporary poetry, thus aiming to find commonalities and differences between ancient and modern discourses and to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, reflecting the hybrid nature of ekphrasis itself.

The book is organised around four core themes. Virtual Worlds and Embodied Images explores how ekphrasis connects the visual and the physical, while Vivid Emotions and Fluid Identities examines the impact of emotionally engaging with images. False Art and Poor Ethics looks at the relationship between ethics and aesthetics, and, finally, Absence and Presence investigates how the pursuit of absent visual objects serves as a reflection on memory and grief.