Reception Studies

by Lorna Hardwick

The texts, images and events of the ancient world have been used both as sources of authority and exploitation in politics, culture and society and as icons of resistance and contest. How classical culture is transplanted into new contexts, how texts are translated and performed and how Greek and Roman values are perceived and used continues to be a force in current debates. The main concepts and explanatory frameworks used in the field are introduced through chapters on reception within antiquity and case studies of more recent receptions from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and the USA. The book will be of use to all those interested in the relationship between the arts, culture and society as well as to students and teachers of classical subjects and of literature, drama, film and comparative cultural studies.

Genres: Nonfiction

136 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Lorna Hardwick is professor emerita of classical studies at the Open University. She is a leading authority on classical reception studies and has published several books and articles on the subject, as well being the first editor of the Classical Receptions Journal.

Reviews

[Sveta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging with classical antiquity is always a dialogue, and we speak to the ancients as much, if not more, than they speaks to (and through) us because 'the past isn't even past.'

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good overview/introduction to the discipline of reception studies. Hardwick is one of the most qualified people to write this text, and she has provided a very readable and comprehensible basic intro. Reception studies focuses on how classical texts are understood by subsequent audiences, as far back as antiquity (e.g., how the Romans negotiated their relationship to Greek literature) and as recently as contemporary postcolonial, postmodern, post-Soviet, post-apartheid, etc. adaptations.