Making Mockery: The Poetics of Ancient SatireMaking Mockery explores the dynamics of comic mockery and satire in Greek and Roman poetry, and argues that poets working with such material composed in accordance with shared generic principles and literary protocols. It encourages a synoptic, synchronic view of such poetry, from archaic iambus through Roman satire, and argues that if we can appreciate the abstract poetics of mockery that governs individual poets in such genres, we can we better understand how such poetry functioned in its own historical moment. Rosen examines in particular the various strategies deployed by ancient satirical poets to enlist the sympathies of a putative audience, convince them of the justice of their indignation and the legitimacy of their personal attacks. The mocking satirist at the height of his power remains elusive and paradoxical--a figure of self-constructed abjection, yet arrogant and sarcastic at the same time; a figure whose speech can be self-righteous one moment, but scandalous the next; who will insist on the "reality" of his poetry, but make it clear that this reality is always mediated by an inescapable movement towards fictionality. While scholars have often, in principle, acknowledged the force of irony, persona-construction and other such devices by which satirists destabilize their claims, very often in practice--especially when considering individual satirists in isolation from others--they too succumb to the satirist's invitation to take what he says at face value. Despite the sophisticated critical tools they may bring to bear on satirical texts, therefore, classicists still tend to treat such poets ultimately as monochromatically indignant, vindictive individuals on a genuine self-righteous mission. This study, however, argues that that a far subtler analysis of the aggressive, poeticized subject in Classical antiquity--its target, and its audience--is called for. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 27
Page x
... interest in entertaining opposing points of view, so it often takes considerable effort for an audience not to take their ranting at face value, or, more precisely, to convince themselves that they ought not to do so. For all the ...
... interest in entertaining opposing points of view, so it often takes considerable effort for an audience not to take their ranting at face value, or, more precisely, to convince themselves that they ought not to do so. For all the ...
Page 3
... interest in the trope of mockery suggests that they were similarly inspired by the comic possibilities inherent in a stance of interpersonal confrontation. The same situation holds later on for Roman traditions of poetry that have roots ...
... interest in the trope of mockery suggests that they were similarly inspired by the comic possibilities inherent in a stance of interpersonal confrontation. The same situation holds later on for Roman traditions of poetry that have roots ...
Page 16
... interest in structuralist methodology remains ultimately grounded in my desire to answer a number of distinctly diachronic questions concerning the relationship between ancient poets of abuse, on the one hand, and their targets and ...
... interest in structuralist methodology remains ultimately grounded in my desire to answer a number of distinctly diachronic questions concerning the relationship between ancient poets of abuse, on the one hand, and their targets and ...
Page 19
... interest to clarify who is the blamer and who the target. This is a far more complex relationship, as I hope to show in this study, than classical scholars have generally cared to entertain, despite the considerable progress made in ...
... interest to clarify who is the blamer and who the target. This is a far more complex relationship, as I hope to show in this study, than classical scholars have generally cared to entertain, despite the considerable progress made in ...
Page 22
You have reached your viewing limit for this book.
You have reached your viewing limit for this book.
Contents
3 | |
Iambe and Demeter Heracles and the Cercopes | 43 |
The Question of Thersites | 67 |
Odysseus and Polyphemus as Figures of Satire | 117 |
5 Satiric Authenticity in Callimachuss Iambi | 172 |
Juvenal Satires 9 and 5 | 207 |
Ancient Responses to Satiric Ponêria | 243 |
Bibliography | 269 |
Index Locorum | 287 |
General Index | 291 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
abjection abuse Achilles actually ancient appear Archilochus argue Aristophanes associated assume attack attempt audience become begin behavior blame Callimachus Cercopes certainly chapter character claims clear comedy comic composed considered context critics culture Cyclops Demeter detail Diegesis discussion epic episode especially evidence example fact fictional figure function further genre Greek Hipponax historical Homer humor Iambe Iambi iambus imagine implies indignation interest Juvenal kind laughter least lines literary mean mock mockery moral myth Naevolus Nagy narrative narrator never noted Odysseus Odysseus’s offers original particular passage performance play poem poet poet’s poetic poetry Polyphemus portrayed psogos question regarded relationship remains represents response ritual role satire satirist scene scholars seems seen sense social sort speaking specific speech stance story suggest target Thersites things throughout tradition trans turn understand