Reading Sappho: Contemporary Approaches (Classics and Contemporary Thought)

Classics and Contemporary Thought

by Ellen Greene

Reading Sappho considers Sappho's poetry as a powerful, influential voice in the Western cultural tradition. Essays are divided into four "Language and Literary Context," "Homer and Oral Tradition", "Ritual and Social Context", and "Women's Erotics". Contributors focus on literary history, mythic traditions, cultural studies, performance studies, recent work in feminist theory, and more.

A legendary literary figure, Sappho has attracted readers, critics, and biographers ever since she composed poems on the island of Lesbos at the close of the seventh century B.C. Bringing together some of the best recent criticism on the subject, this volume, together with Re-Reading Sappho , represents the first anthology of Sappho scholarship, drawing attention to Sappho's importance as a poet and reflecting the diversity of critical approaches in classical and literary scholarship during the last several decades.

Genres: Poetry, History, Academic

320 pages, Paperback

First published December 16, 1997

Reviews

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is an academic edition, I think that many of the texts/expressions/words written in greek should ALL be translated. Let's take into account that there is a necessity of bringing ancient authors into contemporaneity so that they are not forgotten and that means that the texts need to be translated even in an academic context. Needless to say that those translations need to be justified. Last, but not least, the diverse approaches and readings of Sapphos' fragments is an enriching factor to this collection of essays.

[chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

always hard to rate edited collections but i enjoyed most and only skipped a few (also fyi the ancient greek wasn’t always translated)

[Jack Granath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mutuality, narrativity, positionalities, intersubjectivity--all the best words are here. If you can stomach this smug, free-floating stuff enough to scratch down to the next level, you may encounter some interesting ideas. Most of the essays are feminist. Several of them address Sappho's audience and whether she sang her songs alone or made them for a chorus. Nothing that will change your life, probably, but sometimes interesting.

[Keithwashaya]

good

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to read only one book about Sappho, read this one. The essays cover an extensive spectrum of issues while being quite short & to the point.

[hmmm]

classicists are weird