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Pope's Iliad: Homer in the Age of Passion
The description for this book, Pope's Homer in the Age of Passion, will be forthcoming.
- GenresLiterary Criticism
216 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1983
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October 17, 2022
"But in Pope's version we find, for the last and perhaps the only time in the history of English verse, a traditional and viable poetic style that can be held answerable to the demands of the Homeric hexameter. And it was a style that was managed by a poet--great imitator and verbal genius that he was--who was very nearly equal to the impossible task." (pg. 164, "Pope's Iliad: Homer in the Age of Passion")
Broken up into three discrete sections ("Design," "Language," and "Versification"), Steven Shankman's "Pope's 'Iliad': Homer in the Age of Passion" is a fluently written exploration of the nature of, the characteristics of, the virtues of, and the flaws of Alexander Pope's famous (infamous?) translation of The Iliad and The Odyssey. Well acquainted with the previous translators of Homer (Dryden, Chapman), Mr. Shankman is able to cogently discuss Pope's relationship with these precursors, and, in fact, he provides multiple examples of locations in all three poets efforts to translate Homer and how they work out to various 'ends.' Additionally, the book treats the relationship of Longinus and Aristotle to Pope and his translation with care and grace, giving the reader deep insight into the theory which animated Mr. Pope's considerable achievement. And, while erudite and analytical (in fact, quite rigorous in approach and method), the work here is still approachable to the point where a new comer to this field is able to comprehend clearly the stakes present in the concepts and controversies described, adding considerable joy to the reading of the text. Mr. Pope, it is my impression, is held in low repute nowadays in some critical quarters; this book renders cogent a reappraisal of this man's important translation of Homer, adding to his reputation and level of acumen. Fine book.
Broken up into three discrete sections ("Design," "Language," and "Versification"), Steven Shankman's "Pope's 'Iliad': Homer in the Age of Passion" is a fluently written exploration of the nature of, the characteristics of, the virtues of, and the flaws of Alexander Pope's famous (infamous?) translation of The Iliad and The Odyssey. Well acquainted with the previous translators of Homer (Dryden, Chapman), Mr. Shankman is able to cogently discuss Pope's relationship with these precursors, and, in fact, he provides multiple examples of locations in all three poets efforts to translate Homer and how they work out to various 'ends.' Additionally, the book treats the relationship of Longinus and Aristotle to Pope and his translation with care and grace, giving the reader deep insight into the theory which animated Mr. Pope's considerable achievement. And, while erudite and analytical (in fact, quite rigorous in approach and method), the work here is still approachable to the point where a new comer to this field is able to comprehend clearly the stakes present in the concepts and controversies described, adding considerable joy to the reading of the text. Mr. Pope, it is my impression, is held in low repute nowadays in some critical quarters; this book renders cogent a reappraisal of this man's important translation of Homer, adding to his reputation and level of acumen. Fine book.
Displaying 1 of 1 review