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. |
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Page 3
... for verbal battle against a target, shared a common desire to portray themselves as morally self-righteous, indignant at the behavior of others, and eager to capture the allegiance 3 1. The Dynamics of Ancient Satirical Poetry.
... for verbal battle against a target, shared a common desire to portray themselves as morally self-righteous, indignant at the behavior of others, and eager to capture the allegiance 3 1. The Dynamics of Ancient Satirical Poetry.
Page 10
... moral stance of the allegedly moralistic satirist. For now, we may simply note that the opening lines (27–33) of Naevolus's harangue sound as if they could have been lifted from the programmatic first Satire: utile et hoc multis vitae ...
... moral stance of the allegedly moralistic satirist. For now, we may simply note that the opening lines (27–33) of Naevolus's harangue sound as if they could have been lifted from the programmatic first Satire: utile et hoc multis vitae ...
Page 34
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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 |
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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