Pindar and the Sublime - Greek Myth, Reception, and Lyric Experience

Pindar-the ''Theban eagle'', as Thomas Gray famously called him-has often been taken as the archetype of the sublime poet: soaring into the heavens on wings of language and inspired by visions of eternity. In this much-anticipated new study, Robert Fowler asks in what ways the concept of the sublime can still guide a reading of the greatest of the Greek lyric poets. Working with ancient and modern treatments of the topic, especially the poetry and writings of Friedrich Holderlin (1770-1843), arguably Pindar''s greatest modern reader, he develops the case for an aesthetic appreciation of Pindar''s odes as literature. Building on recent trends in criticism, he shifts the focus away from the first performance and the orality of Greek culture to reception and the experience of Pindar''s odes as text. This change of emphasis yields a fresh discussion of many facets of Pindar''s astonishing art, including the relation of the poems to their occasions, performativity, the poet''s persona, his imagery, and his myths. Consideration of Pindar''s views on divinity, transcendence, time, and the limits of language reveals him to be not only a great writer but a great thinker.>

Product details

• Authors: Professor Robert L. (University of Bristol Fowler, Robert L Fowler, Robert L. Fowler, Fowler Robert L
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 13.01.2022
• EAN: 9781788311144
• ISBN: 978-1-78831-114-4
• No. of pages: 280
• Series: New Directions in Classics Series; New Directions in Classics Series; New Directions in Classics
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature; Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > English linguistics / literary studies; History of Ideas, LITERARY CRITICISM / Poetry, Ancient Greece, LITERARY CRITICISM / Ancient & Classical, HISTORY / Social History, PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / Ancient & Classical, SPORTS & RECREATION / History, history of sport, Literary studies: poetry & poets, Ancient (Classical) Greek, Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500, Literary studies: poetry and poets