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The Sea in the Greek Imagination
The sea is omnipresent in Greek life. Visible from nearly everywhere, the sea represents the life and livelihood of many who dwell on the islands and coastal areas of the Mediterranean, and it has been so since long ago—the sea loomed large in the Homeric epics and throughout Greek mythology. The Greeks of antiquity turned to the sea for food and for transport; for war, commerce, and scientific advancement; and for religious purification and other rites. Yet, the sea was simultaneously the center of Greek life and its limit. For, while the sea was a giver of much, it also embodied danger and uncertainty. It was in turns barren and fertile, and pictured as both a roadway and a terrifying void. The image of the sea in Greek myth is as conflicting as it is common, with sea crossings taking on seemingly incompatible meanings in different circumstances.
In The Sea in the Greek Imagination , Marie-Claire Beaulieu unifies the multifarious representations of the sea and sea crossings in Greek myth and imagery by positing the sea as a cosmological boundary between the mortal world, the underworld, and the realms of the immortal. Through six in-depth case studies, she shows how, more than a simple physical boundary, the sea represented the buffer zone between the imaginary and the real, the transitional space between the worlds of the living, the dead, and the gods. From dolphin riders to Dionysus, maidens to mermen, Beaulieu investigates the role of the sea in Greek myth in a broad-ranging and innovative study.
In The Sea in the Greek Imagination , Marie-Claire Beaulieu unifies the multifarious representations of the sea and sea crossings in Greek myth and imagery by positing the sea as a cosmological boundary between the mortal world, the underworld, and the realms of the immortal. Through six in-depth case studies, she shows how, more than a simple physical boundary, the sea represented the buffer zone between the imaginary and the real, the transitional space between the worlds of the living, the dead, and the gods. From dolphin riders to Dionysus, maidens to mermen, Beaulieu investigates the role of the sea in Greek myth in a broad-ranging and innovative study.
280 pages, Hardcover
Published December 4, 2015
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July 1, 2018
Beaulieu convincingly argues that the sea in the classical world was perceived primarily as an ever-changing and intermediary space. That is, a zone that represents a transition between the mortal and divine realms, which has a wide range of effects on ancient stories concerning the sea. This book looks at primarily mythological tales, supplemented with iconography, from approximately the Homeric texts to the early Roman Empire. Her introduction provides a good overview of the previous scholarship, much of which focused only on certain aspects of sea lore and not a holistic examination. The remaining six chapters essentially function as stand-alone essays on different themes.
The first chapter examines some of the broad ways the sea was perceived and lays the foundation for subsequent chapters. The sea’s connection to the divine world is demonstrated through a myriad of sources.
The second chapter then shifts to a narrower topic: the role of marine environments in coming-of-age narratives, primarily those of mythological heroes. The transitory aspect of the sea is evident here as it often plays a significant role for the heroes’ transformation into adulthood.
Chapter three looks a series of myths whereby a woman, usually pregnant or with her newborn, is sealed in a chest and disposed of in the sea. A crucial takeaway here is the gender disparity in these stories. While the men of the previous chapter played an active role in their marine adventures, the role of women is a primarily passive one and they are typically only saved through divine intervention.
Chapter four focuses on the ancient conception of dolphins, which appear somewhat frequently in mythology. In short, they took on many of the intermediary traits of the sea. As today, they were commonly known to be friendly and intelligent creatures. In the classical world, they were also seen as semi-divine agents that frequently acted on behalf of the gods.
The fifth chapter details the associations inherent in the motif of leaping into the sea. In mythology, an individual leaping into the sea, usually from a high cliff, often happens in distressful situations. It is frequently a moment of breaking with some societal norm. The gender disparity is evident in this act as well. For women, leaping into the marine world denotes a radical fleeing from society, to which they never return, and may instead be transformed into a marine goddess. Meanwhile, for men, after having leapt into the sea, they typically return along with some new abilities and/or higher social prestige.
Chapter six looks at the connections between Dionysus and sea. As the god of drunken revelry, Dionysus is an apt deity to be linked to the transitory sea. He is frequently depicted as having to deal with pirates trying to capture him at sea, only to be transformed into dolphins, which also have a strong iconographical link to Dionysus.
Overall, this is an excellent study on a vast topic. Obviously, it does not cover everything concerning the sea and some points can be challenged (such as the assertion that both inland lakes and the extremities of Oceanus were perceived as ‘freshwater’), but it is a valuable addition to scholarship and an quite entertaining read.
The first chapter examines some of the broad ways the sea was perceived and lays the foundation for subsequent chapters. The sea’s connection to the divine world is demonstrated through a myriad of sources.
The second chapter then shifts to a narrower topic: the role of marine environments in coming-of-age narratives, primarily those of mythological heroes. The transitory aspect of the sea is evident here as it often plays a significant role for the heroes’ transformation into adulthood.
Chapter three looks a series of myths whereby a woman, usually pregnant or with her newborn, is sealed in a chest and disposed of in the sea. A crucial takeaway here is the gender disparity in these stories. While the men of the previous chapter played an active role in their marine adventures, the role of women is a primarily passive one and they are typically only saved through divine intervention.
Chapter four focuses on the ancient conception of dolphins, which appear somewhat frequently in mythology. In short, they took on many of the intermediary traits of the sea. As today, they were commonly known to be friendly and intelligent creatures. In the classical world, they were also seen as semi-divine agents that frequently acted on behalf of the gods.
The fifth chapter details the associations inherent in the motif of leaping into the sea. In mythology, an individual leaping into the sea, usually from a high cliff, often happens in distressful situations. It is frequently a moment of breaking with some societal norm. The gender disparity is evident in this act as well. For women, leaping into the marine world denotes a radical fleeing from society, to which they never return, and may instead be transformed into a marine goddess. Meanwhile, for men, after having leapt into the sea, they typically return along with some new abilities and/or higher social prestige.
Chapter six looks at the connections between Dionysus and sea. As the god of drunken revelry, Dionysus is an apt deity to be linked to the transitory sea. He is frequently depicted as having to deal with pirates trying to capture him at sea, only to be transformed into dolphins, which also have a strong iconographical link to Dionysus.
Overall, this is an excellent study on a vast topic. Obviously, it does not cover everything concerning the sea and some points can be challenged (such as the assertion that both inland lakes and the extremities of Oceanus were perceived as ‘freshwater’), but it is a valuable addition to scholarship and an quite entertaining read.
Displaying 1 of 1 review