Recognition scenes in Greek poetry: from Aristotle to Homer

• Grant number: 11/17869-4
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants - Publications - Books published in Brazil
• Start date: November 01, 2011
• End date: October 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Literature - Classical Literatures
• Principal Investigator: Adriane da Silva Duarte
• Grantee: Adriane da Silva Duarte
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This book examines the occurrence of recognition (anagnórisis) scenes - as defined by Aristotle, in his Poetics - in Greek Archaic and Classical poetry. Subverting chronological order, the work is entitled Recognition scenes in Greek poetry: from Aristotle to Homer, in order to stress the extraordinary importance of the Stagirite's treatise on the subject and to make it clear that this research is founded on the original concept he established after a close reading of Greek poetry. Theoretical approaches, namely the Aristotelian and those of his principal commentators, are here interweaved with discussions of recognition scenes as they present themselves in Homeric epics (Iliad and Odyssey), in tragedy (Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides) and in comedy (Aristophanes and Menander). Recognition scenes occur in many Greek literary genres, from Homeric epics to Ancient novel. Its use, however, is more frequent in association with Classical tragedy. This corpus choice had in mind this concentration of the studied feature, restricting the period in focus so as to preserve its theoretical premises integrity. The book is structured in five chapters, as follows: i. Recognition in Greek myth; ii. Recognition in Greek poetics: Aristotle; iii. Recognition and epics: Iliad and Odyssey; iv. Recognition on stage: tragedy and comedy; v. Recognizing a recognition. (AU)