The Varieties of Enchantment: Early Greek Views of the Nature and Function of Poetry

by George B. Walsh

Overview

Walsh argues that the history of Greek poetics from Homer to Aristophanes was controlled by a preoccupation with enchantment — the audience's emotional response to the performance of song. Homer made enchantment the pivotal topic of his account of his art; Hesiod and Pindar developed elaborate psychologies of forgetfulness and memory; Euripides and Aristophanes looked back at such theories in a mood that was both critical and nostalgic.

Originally published in 1984.

A UNC Press Enduring Edition — UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807842065
Publisher:	The University of North Carolina Press
Publication date:	10/05/1988
Edition description:	1
Pages:	170
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.55(d)
Lexile:	1520L (what's this?)

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Well-written, original, and intelligent.—Greece & Rome



What makes the modest book refreshing is its rejection of well-worn approaches in poetics (rhetoric, themes of inspiration, distinctions of genre) and the inclusion of excellent critical passages.—Choice

Editorial Reviews

"Well-written, original, and intelligent."—Greece & Rome

"What makes the modest book refreshing is its rejection of well-worn approaches in poetics (rhetoric, themes of inspiration, distinctions of genre) and the inclusion of excellent critical passages."—Choice

From the Publisher