Product Description

The Greeks discovered the individual, it is said, but in what sense is this true? Characters in Greek literature may often seem strangely different from their modern counterparts: less idiosyncratic, less real, and with less psychological depth or interest. Personality traits seems to cluster more predictably in the characters of Greek authors than of those today. Despite the wide-ranging scope of this aspect of Greek literature, most previous discussions on Greek characterization and individuality have been limited to particular authors or genres. This volume attempts to illuminate the connections and mutual influences of the various genres in the portrayal of the individual. Ten essays explore the question of the distinction of character and personality (C. Gill); how the Greeks viewed the concept of character (S. Halliwell); characterization in epic (O. Taplin), in tragedy (P. E. Easterling, S. Goldhill, and J. Griffin), in comedy (M. Silk), in philosophical dialectic (L. Coventry), in oratory and rhetoric (D. A. Russell), and in biography (C. B. R. Pelling). This work will be invaluable to anyone interested in Greek literature and in the phenomenon of characterization and individuality in literature in general.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3080501 in Books
• Published on: 1990-01-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 280 pages

Review
"A splendid collection of papers."--The Times (London)
"The authors, employing a variety of critical approaches, combine theoretical statements with analysis of specific passages. The result is rich and stimulating....A rewarding experience, not least for the open-endedness of its essays, which invite us as readers to reconceive our approach to the figures of Greek literature, and to the works in which they appear."--Journal of the International Plutarch Society