Author: Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Publisher: Good Press
ISBN:
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 5589
Book Description
Yale Classics - Roman Classical Literature represents a formidable assembly of some of the most pivotal figures and texts that have shaped the Western literary tradition. This anthology traverses an expansive terrain of themes - from the philosophical musings and stoic reflections in Senecas works to the epic narratives of Virgil, and the keen satirical voices of Juvenal and Persius. The collection highlights a stunning array of literary styles, from the eloquent orations of Cicero to the intricate verse of Catullus and the potent histories penned by Tacitus and Sallust. Such diversity not only underscores the richness of Roman literature but also provides readers with a comprehensive insight into the ancient world's complexities and contradictions. The anthology encapsulates the evolution of Roman thought, presenting works that reflect upon love, power, ethics, and the human condition, making it an indispensable resource for scholars and enthusiasts alike. The contributing authors, ranging from poets and philosophers to historians and statesmen, bring with them not just their literary talents but also a mosaic of backgrounds that illuminate the socio-political and cultural tapestry of ancient Rome. These figures were instrumental in heralding significant literary and intellectual movements, offering insights into everything from the decadence of the late Roman Republic to the philosophical inquiries of the Empires twilight. The anthology effectively captures the zeitgeist of an era that is at once ancient and remarkably resonant with contemporary themes, bridging millennia through the enduring relevance of its subjects. Together, these works and authors exemplify the height of Roman literary achievement and its lasting influence on subsequent generations. Yale Classics - Roman Classical Literature is essential reading for anyone seeking a deep and varied exploration of Roman intellectual and cultural life. This anthology is not just a testament to the historical importance of Roman literature but also an invitation to engage with the timeless questions and narratives that continue to captivate the modern imagination. Offering both breadth and depth, it promises to enrich ones understanding of not only the Roman world but also the enduring human themes that connect us across time. Scholars, students, and general readers alike will find in this collection a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of Roman thought, brought to life by some of historys most influential voices.
Yale Classics - Roman Classical Literature
Author: Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Publisher: Good Press
ISBN:
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 5589
Book Description
Yale Classics - Roman Classical Literature represents a formidable assembly of some of the most pivotal figures and texts that have shaped the Western literary tradition. This anthology traverses an expansive terrain of themes - from the philosophical musings and stoic reflections in Senecas works to the epic narratives of Virgil, and the keen satirical voices of Juvenal and Persius. The collection highlights a stunning array of literary styles, from the eloquent orations of Cicero to the intricate verse of Catullus and the potent histories penned by Tacitus and Sallust. Such diversity not only underscores the richness of Roman literature but also provides readers with a comprehensive insight into the ancient world's complexities and contradictions. The anthology encapsulates the evolution of Roman thought, presenting works that reflect upon love, power, ethics, and the human condition, making it an indispensable resource for scholars and enthusiasts alike. The contributing authors, ranging from poets and philosophers to historians and statesmen, bring with them not just their literary talents but also a mosaic of backgrounds that illuminate the socio-political and cultural tapestry of ancient Rome. These figures were instrumental in heralding significant literary and intellectual movements, offering insights into everything from the decadence of the late Roman Republic to the philosophical inquiries of the Empires twilight. The anthology effectively captures the zeitgeist of an era that is at once ancient and remarkably resonant with contemporary themes, bridging millennia through the enduring relevance of its subjects. Together, these works and authors exemplify the height of Roman literary achievement and its lasting influence on subsequent generations. Yale Classics - Roman Classical Literature is essential reading for anyone seeking a deep and varied exploration of Roman intellectual and cultural life. This anthology is not just a testament to the historical importance of Roman literature but also an invitation to engage with the timeless questions and narratives that continue to captivate the modern imagination. Offering both breadth and depth, it promises to enrich ones understanding of not only the Roman world but also the enduring human themes that connect us across time. Scholars, students, and general readers alike will find in this collection a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of Roman thought, brought to life by some of historys most influential voices.
Publisher: Good Press
ISBN:
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 5589
Book Description
Yale Classics - Roman Classical Literature represents a formidable assembly of some of the most pivotal figures and texts that have shaped the Western literary tradition. This anthology traverses an expansive terrain of themes - from the philosophical musings and stoic reflections in Senecas works to the epic narratives of Virgil, and the keen satirical voices of Juvenal and Persius. The collection highlights a stunning array of literary styles, from the eloquent orations of Cicero to the intricate verse of Catullus and the potent histories penned by Tacitus and Sallust. Such diversity not only underscores the richness of Roman literature but also provides readers with a comprehensive insight into the ancient world's complexities and contradictions. The anthology encapsulates the evolution of Roman thought, presenting works that reflect upon love, power, ethics, and the human condition, making it an indispensable resource for scholars and enthusiasts alike. The contributing authors, ranging from poets and philosophers to historians and statesmen, bring with them not just their literary talents but also a mosaic of backgrounds that illuminate the socio-political and cultural tapestry of ancient Rome. These figures were instrumental in heralding significant literary and intellectual movements, offering insights into everything from the decadence of the late Roman Republic to the philosophical inquiries of the Empires twilight. The anthology effectively captures the zeitgeist of an era that is at once ancient and remarkably resonant with contemporary themes, bridging millennia through the enduring relevance of its subjects. Together, these works and authors exemplify the height of Roman literary achievement and its lasting influence on subsequent generations. Yale Classics - Roman Classical Literature is essential reading for anyone seeking a deep and varied exploration of Roman intellectual and cultural life. This anthology is not just a testament to the historical importance of Roman literature but also an invitation to engage with the timeless questions and narratives that continue to captivate the modern imagination. Offering both breadth and depth, it promises to enrich ones understanding of not only the Roman world but also the enduring human themes that connect us across time. Scholars, students, and general readers alike will find in this collection a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of Roman thought, brought to life by some of historys most influential voices.
Yale Classics - Roman Classical Literature
Author: Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Publisher: DigiCat
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 5588
Book Description
DigiCat presents to you the greatest works of Roman classical literature. The selection of books is based on Yale Department of Classics required reading list. Originally designed for students, this exceptional collection will benefit greatly everyone curious about the history, language, everyday life and culture of ancient Rome. This collection is a compound of ancient Roman wisdom, presenting all the major works of the classical era of Latin literature. By studying the art, history, and social dilemmas of the ancient civilizations person obtains the ability to look at the bigger picture of the present day, the social and political power struggle and ruptures, as well as other major problems of our contemporary society with a dapper understanding. Content: Plautus: Aulularia Amphitryon Terence: Adelphoe Ennius: Annales Catullus: Poems Lucretius: On the Nature of Things Julius Caesar: The Civil War Sallust: History of Catiline's Conspiracy Cicero: De Oratore Brutus Horace: The Odes The Epodes The Satires The Epistles The Art of Poetry Virgil: The Aeneid The Georgics Tibullus: Elegies Propertius: Elegies Cornelius Nepos: Lives of Eminent Commanders Ovid: The Metamorphoses Augustus: Res Gestae Divi Augusti Lucius Annaeus Seneca: Moral Letters to Lucilius Lucan: On the Civil War Persius: Satires Petronius: Satyricon Martial: Epigrams Pliny the Younger: Letters Tacitus: The Annals Quintilian: Institutio Oratoria Juvenal: Satires Suetonius: The Twelve Caesars Apuleius: The Metamorphoses Ammianus Marcellinus: The Roman History Saint Augustine of Hippo: The Confessions Claudian: Against Eutropius Boethius: The Consolation of Philosophy Plutarch: The Rise and Fall of Roman Supremacy: Romulus Poplicola Camillus Marcus Cato Lucullus Fabius Crassus Coriolanus Cato the Younger Cicero
Publisher: DigiCat
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 5588
Book Description
DigiCat presents to you the greatest works of Roman classical literature. The selection of books is based on Yale Department of Classics required reading list. Originally designed for students, this exceptional collection will benefit greatly everyone curious about the history, language, everyday life and culture of ancient Rome. This collection is a compound of ancient Roman wisdom, presenting all the major works of the classical era of Latin literature. By studying the art, history, and social dilemmas of the ancient civilizations person obtains the ability to look at the bigger picture of the present day, the social and political power struggle and ruptures, as well as other major problems of our contemporary society with a dapper understanding. Content: Plautus: Aulularia Amphitryon Terence: Adelphoe Ennius: Annales Catullus: Poems Lucretius: On the Nature of Things Julius Caesar: The Civil War Sallust: History of Catiline's Conspiracy Cicero: De Oratore Brutus Horace: The Odes The Epodes The Satires The Epistles The Art of Poetry Virgil: The Aeneid The Georgics Tibullus: Elegies Propertius: Elegies Cornelius Nepos: Lives of Eminent Commanders Ovid: The Metamorphoses Augustus: Res Gestae Divi Augusti Lucius Annaeus Seneca: Moral Letters to Lucilius Lucan: On the Civil War Persius: Satires Petronius: Satyricon Martial: Epigrams Pliny the Younger: Letters Tacitus: The Annals Quintilian: Institutio Oratoria Juvenal: Satires Suetonius: The Twelve Caesars Apuleius: The Metamorphoses Ammianus Marcellinus: The Roman History Saint Augustine of Hippo: The Confessions Claudian: Against Eutropius Boethius: The Consolation of Philosophy Plutarch: The Rise and Fall of Roman Supremacy: Romulus Poplicola Camillus Marcus Cato Lucullus Fabius Crassus Coriolanus Cato the Younger Cicero
The Archaic Community of the Romans
Author: Robert E. A. Palmer
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521077028
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 346
Book Description
An examination of the development of archaic Rome which successfully united disparate cultures and integrated them into political life. The author discusses the nature of the evidence and the theories of ancient and modern historians, reconstructs the organisation of the archaic state and traces the deterioration of the curiae.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521077028
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 346
Book Description
An examination of the development of archaic Rome which successfully united disparate cultures and integrated them into political life. The author discusses the nature of the evidence and the theories of ancient and modern historians, reconstructs the organisation of the archaic state and traces the deterioration of the curiae.
A People's History of Classics
Author: Edith Hall
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315446588
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 586
Book Description
A People’s History of Classics explores the influence of the classical past on the lives of working-class people, whose voices have been almost completely excluded from previous histories of classical scholarship and pedagogy, in Britain and Ireland from the late 17th to the early 20th century. This volume challenges the prevailing scholarly and public assumption that the intimate link between the exclusive intellectual culture of British elites and the study of the ancient Greeks and Romans and their languages meant that working-class culture was a ‘Classics-Free Zone’. Making use of diverse sources of information, both published and unpublished, in archives, museums and libraries across the United Kingdom and Ireland, Hall and Stead examine the working-class experience of classical culture from the Bill of Rights in 1689 to the outbreak of World War II. They analyse a huge volume of data, from individuals, groups, regions and activities, in a huge range of sources including memoirs, autobiographies, Trade Union collections, poetry, factory archives, artefacts and documents in regional museums. This allows a deeper understanding not only of the many examples of interaction with the Classics, but also what these cultural interactions signified to the working poor: from the promise of social advancement, to propaganda exploited by the elites, to covert and overt class war. A People’s History of Classics offers a fascinating and insightful exploration of the many and varied engagements with Greece and Rome among the working classes in Britain and Ireland, and is a must-read not only for classicists, but also for students of British and Irish social, intellectual and political history in this period. Further, it brings new historical depth and perspectives to public debates around the future of classical education, and should be read by anyone with an interest in educational policy in Britain today.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315446588
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 586
Book Description
A People’s History of Classics explores the influence of the classical past on the lives of working-class people, whose voices have been almost completely excluded from previous histories of classical scholarship and pedagogy, in Britain and Ireland from the late 17th to the early 20th century. This volume challenges the prevailing scholarly and public assumption that the intimate link between the exclusive intellectual culture of British elites and the study of the ancient Greeks and Romans and their languages meant that working-class culture was a ‘Classics-Free Zone’. Making use of diverse sources of information, both published and unpublished, in archives, museums and libraries across the United Kingdom and Ireland, Hall and Stead examine the working-class experience of classical culture from the Bill of Rights in 1689 to the outbreak of World War II. They analyse a huge volume of data, from individuals, groups, regions and activities, in a huge range of sources including memoirs, autobiographies, Trade Union collections, poetry, factory archives, artefacts and documents in regional museums. This allows a deeper understanding not only of the many examples of interaction with the Classics, but also what these cultural interactions signified to the working poor: from the promise of social advancement, to propaganda exploited by the elites, to covert and overt class war. A People’s History of Classics offers a fascinating and insightful exploration of the many and varied engagements with Greece and Rome among the working classes in Britain and Ireland, and is a must-read not only for classicists, but also for students of British and Irish social, intellectual and political history in this period. Further, it brings new historical depth and perspectives to public debates around the future of classical education, and should be read by anyone with an interest in educational policy in Britain today.
Yale Classics (Vol. 2)
Author: Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Publisher: DigiCat
ISBN:
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 5588
Book Description
This collection is based on the required reading list of Yale Department of Classics. Originally designed for students, this anthology is meant for everyone eager to know more about the history and literature of this period, interested in poetry, philosophy and rhetoric of Ancient Rome. Latin literature is a natural successor of Ancient Greek literature. The beginning of Classic Roman literature dates to 240 BC. From that point on, Latin literature would flourish for the next six centuries. Latin was the language of the ancient Romans, but it was also the lingua franca of Western Europe throughout the Middle Ages. Consequently, Latin Literature outlived the Roman Empire and it included European writers who followed the fall of the Empire, from religious writers like Aquinas, to secular writers like Francis Bacon, Baruch Spinoza, and Isaac Newton. This collection presents all the major Classic Roman authors, including Cicero, Virgil, Ovid and Horace whose work intrigues and fascinates readers until this day. Content: Plautus: Aulularia Amphitryon Terence: Adelphoe Ennius: Annales Catullus: Poems and Fragments Lucretius: On the Nature of Things Julius Caesar: The Civil War Sallust: History of Catiline's Conspiracy Cicero: De Oratore Brutus Horace: The Odes The Epodes The Satires The Epistles The Art of Poetry Virgil: The Aeneid The Georgics Tibullus: Elegies Propertius: Elegies Cornelius Nepos: Lives of Eminent Commanders Ovid: The Metamorphoses Augustus: Res Gestae Divi Augusti Lucius Annaeus Seneca: Moral Letters to Lucilius Lucan: On the Civil War Persius: Satires Petronius: Satyricon Martial: Epigrams Pliny the Younger: Letters Tacitus: The Annals Quintilian: Institutio Oratoria Juvenal: Satires Suetonius: The Twelve Caesars Apuleius: The Metamorphoses Ammianus Marcellinus: The Roman History Saint Augustine of Hippo: The Confessions Claudian: Against Eutropius Boethius: The Consolation of Philosophy Plutarch: The Rise and Fall of Roman Supremacy: Romulus Poplicola Camillus Marcus Cato Lucullus Fabius Crassus Coriolanus Cato the Younger Cicero
Publisher: DigiCat
ISBN:
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 5588
Book Description
This collection is based on the required reading list of Yale Department of Classics. Originally designed for students, this anthology is meant for everyone eager to know more about the history and literature of this period, interested in poetry, philosophy and rhetoric of Ancient Rome. Latin literature is a natural successor of Ancient Greek literature. The beginning of Classic Roman literature dates to 240 BC. From that point on, Latin literature would flourish for the next six centuries. Latin was the language of the ancient Romans, but it was also the lingua franca of Western Europe throughout the Middle Ages. Consequently, Latin Literature outlived the Roman Empire and it included European writers who followed the fall of the Empire, from religious writers like Aquinas, to secular writers like Francis Bacon, Baruch Spinoza, and Isaac Newton. This collection presents all the major Classic Roman authors, including Cicero, Virgil, Ovid and Horace whose work intrigues and fascinates readers until this day. Content: Plautus: Aulularia Amphitryon Terence: Adelphoe Ennius: Annales Catullus: Poems and Fragments Lucretius: On the Nature of Things Julius Caesar: The Civil War Sallust: History of Catiline's Conspiracy Cicero: De Oratore Brutus Horace: The Odes The Epodes The Satires The Epistles The Art of Poetry Virgil: The Aeneid The Georgics Tibullus: Elegies Propertius: Elegies Cornelius Nepos: Lives of Eminent Commanders Ovid: The Metamorphoses Augustus: Res Gestae Divi Augusti Lucius Annaeus Seneca: Moral Letters to Lucilius Lucan: On the Civil War Persius: Satires Petronius: Satyricon Martial: Epigrams Pliny the Younger: Letters Tacitus: The Annals Quintilian: Institutio Oratoria Juvenal: Satires Suetonius: The Twelve Caesars Apuleius: The Metamorphoses Ammianus Marcellinus: The Roman History Saint Augustine of Hippo: The Confessions Claudian: Against Eutropius Boethius: The Consolation of Philosophy Plutarch: The Rise and Fall of Roman Supremacy: Romulus Poplicola Camillus Marcus Cato Lucullus Fabius Crassus Coriolanus Cato the Younger Cicero
The Story of Greece and Rome
Author: Antony Spawforth
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300217110
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 403
Book Description
The extraordinary story of the intermingled civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome, spanning more than six millennia from the late Bronze Age to the seventh century The magnificent civilization created by the ancient Greeks and Romans is the greatest legacy of the classical world. However, narratives about the "civilized" Greek and Roman empires resisting the barbarians at the gate are far from accurate. Tony Spawforth, an esteemed scholar, author, and media contributor, follows the thread of civilization through more than six millennia of history. His story reveals that Greek and Roman civilization, to varying degrees, was supremely and surprisingly receptive to external influences, particularly from the East. From the rise of the Mycenaean world of the sixteenth century B.C., Spawforth traces a path through the ancient Aegean to the zenith of the Hellenic state and the rise of the Roman empire, the coming of Christianity and the consequences of the first caliphate. Deeply informed, provocative, and entirely fresh, this is the first and only accessible work that tells the extraordinary story of the classical world in its entirety.
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300217110
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 403
Book Description
The extraordinary story of the intermingled civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome, spanning more than six millennia from the late Bronze Age to the seventh century The magnificent civilization created by the ancient Greeks and Romans is the greatest legacy of the classical world. However, narratives about the "civilized" Greek and Roman empires resisting the barbarians at the gate are far from accurate. Tony Spawforth, an esteemed scholar, author, and media contributor, follows the thread of civilization through more than six millennia of history. His story reveals that Greek and Roman civilization, to varying degrees, was supremely and surprisingly receptive to external influences, particularly from the East. From the rise of the Mycenaean world of the sixteenth century B.C., Spawforth traces a path through the ancient Aegean to the zenith of the Hellenic state and the rise of the Roman empire, the coming of Christianity and the consequences of the first caliphate. Deeply informed, provocative, and entirely fresh, this is the first and only accessible work that tells the extraordinary story of the classical world in its entirety.
The Reception of Cicero in the Early Roman Empire
Author: Thomas J. Keeline
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108426239
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 389
Book Description
Explores the crucial role played by rhetorical education in turning Cicero into a literary and political symbol after his death.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108426239
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 389
Book Description
Explores the crucial role played by rhetorical education in turning Cicero into a literary and political symbol after his death.
The Walking Muse
Author: Kirk Freudenburg
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400852935
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 279
Book Description
In laying the groundwork for a fresh and challenging reading of Roman satire, Kirk Freudenburg explores the literary precedents behind the situations and characters created by Horace, one of Rome's earliest and most influential satirists. Critics tend to think that his two books of Satires are but trite sermons of moral reform--which the poems superficially claim to be--and that the reformer speaking to us is the young Horace, a naive Roman imitator of the rustic, self-made Greek philosopher Bion. By examining Horace's debt to popular comedy and to the conventions of Hellenistic moral literature, however, Freudenburg reveals the sophisticated mask through which the writer distances himself from the speaker in these earthy diatribes--a mask that enables the lofty muse of poetry to walk in satire's mundane world of adulterous lovers and quarrelsome neighbors. After presenting the speaker of the diatribes as a stage character, a version of the haranguing cynic of comedy and mime, Freudenburg explains the theoretical importance of such conventions in satire at large. His analysis includes a reinterpretation of Horace's criticisms of Lucilius, and ends with a theory of satire based on the several images of the satirist presented in Book One, which reveals the true depth of Horace's ethical and philosophical concerns. Originally published in 1992. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400852935
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 279
Book Description
In laying the groundwork for a fresh and challenging reading of Roman satire, Kirk Freudenburg explores the literary precedents behind the situations and characters created by Horace, one of Rome's earliest and most influential satirists. Critics tend to think that his two books of Satires are but trite sermons of moral reform--which the poems superficially claim to be--and that the reformer speaking to us is the young Horace, a naive Roman imitator of the rustic, self-made Greek philosopher Bion. By examining Horace's debt to popular comedy and to the conventions of Hellenistic moral literature, however, Freudenburg reveals the sophisticated mask through which the writer distances himself from the speaker in these earthy diatribes--a mask that enables the lofty muse of poetry to walk in satire's mundane world of adulterous lovers and quarrelsome neighbors. After presenting the speaker of the diatribes as a stage character, a version of the haranguing cynic of comedy and mime, Freudenburg explains the theoretical importance of such conventions in satire at large. His analysis includes a reinterpretation of Horace's criticisms of Lucilius, and ends with a theory of satire based on the several images of the satirist presented in Book One, which reveals the true depth of Horace's ethical and philosophical concerns. Originally published in 1992. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
Ancient Greece: From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times
Author: Thomas R. Martin
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300160054
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 327
Book Description
"First edition 1996. Updated in 2000 with new suggested readings and illustrations"--Title page verso.
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300160054
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 327
Book Description
"First edition 1996. Updated in 2000 with new suggested readings and illustrations"--Title page verso.
Vulgar Eloquence
Author: Sean Keilen
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 9780300110128
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 254
Book Description
This original book challenges prevailing accounts of English literary history, arguing that English literature emerged as a distinct category during the late sixteenth century, as England’s relationship with classical Rome was suffering an unprecedented strain. Exploring the myths through which poets such as Geffrey Whitney, William Shakespeare, and John Milton understood the nature of their art, Sean Keilen shows how they invented archaic origins for a new kind of writing. When history obliged English poets to regard themselves as victims of the Roman Conquest rather than rightful heirs of classical Latin culture, it also required a redefinition of their relations with Roman literature. Keilen shows how the poets’ search for a new beginning drew them to rework familiar fables about Orpheus, Philomela, and Circe, and invent a new point of departure for their own poetic history.
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 9780300110128
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 254
Book Description
This original book challenges prevailing accounts of English literary history, arguing that English literature emerged as a distinct category during the late sixteenth century, as England’s relationship with classical Rome was suffering an unprecedented strain. Exploring the myths through which poets such as Geffrey Whitney, William Shakespeare, and John Milton understood the nature of their art, Sean Keilen shows how they invented archaic origins for a new kind of writing. When history obliged English poets to regard themselves as victims of the Roman Conquest rather than rightful heirs of classical Latin culture, it also required a redefinition of their relations with Roman literature. Keilen shows how the poets’ search for a new beginning drew them to rework familiar fables about Orpheus, Philomela, and Circe, and invent a new point of departure for their own poetic history.