Homeric moments : clues to delight in reading the Odyssey and the Iliad

Title:

Homeric moments : clues to delight in reading the Odyssey and the Iliad

Author:

Brann, Eva T. H.

Publication Information:

Philadelphia : Paul Dry Books, 2002.

Format:

Books

Carrier Type:

xiv, 326 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.

Personal Subject:

Homer-Criticism and interpretation.

Homer. Odyssey.

Homer. Iliad.

Subject Term:

Epic poetry, Greek -- History and criticism.

Odysseus (Greek mythology) in literature.

Achilles (Greek mythology) in literature.

Trojan War -- Literature and the war.

ISBN:

9780967967561

9780967967578

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Call Number	Child Count	Shelf Location	Status	Item Holds
Searching... Science	Book	883.01 B821H	1	Stacks	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable
Searching... Science	Book	883.01 B735H 2002	1	Stacks	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Choice Review

Brann (St. John's College) takes an intentionally unusual approach to the analysis of these classical texts. Though clearly knowledgeable about the main currents of Homeric scholarship, she chose to ignore the usual trappings of classical scholarship in order to carry on an informal conversation with the reader based on her own enthusiasms and insights. This approach has both virtues and flaws. The virtues lie in the pleasurable sense of contagious excitement the author communicates to the reader; the flaws lie in the fact that one is at the mercy of the author's intuitions, which are not always persuasive. Brann's view of the role played by the gods in the Homeric poems and her discussion of the themes depicted on the shield of Achilles do not do justice to their significant contribution to the epics. Though she makes significant references to the Iliad, the author emphasizes the Odyssey, narrating and discussing the principal events. This is a work that might well ignite the interest of those beginning their reading of Homer, but these readers will not gain access to the true riches of the Homeric poems unless they go on to more complex and fuller treatments of those great epics. ^BSumming Up: Optional. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates. L. Golden Florida State University

Library Journal Review

We might all wish that philosopher and classicist Brann had taught us Homer. Falling short of that, we can read Homeric Moments, a study of Homer's epics, the Odyssey and the Iliad, based on Brann's 40-year teaching experience at St. John's College in Annapolis, MD. Eschewing issues of contemporary theory or the technical concerns of classical philology, Brann instead focuses on a close reading of Homer's narrative and characters, with a concern for what makes them enduring and insightful. She draws attention to Homer's language, exploring the layers of verbal connotation, and she is especially interested in how Homer creates "delight," a pleasure that appeals to the senses and comes from the extended action and inward refiguring of the events narrated. Brann then contrasts this with the more intense pleasure of tragedy, where the purification of passions induces a more thoughtful response. Written with wit and clarity, this book will be of value both to those reading the Odyssey and the Iliad for the first time and to those teaching it to beginners. Recommended for public and academic libraries. T.L. Cooksey, Armstrong Atlantic State Univ., Savannah, GA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Preface	p. XIII
Accounting for the Title	p. 3
1 The Gods	p. 35
2 Odysseus: His Looks and Transformations	p. 46
3 Odysseus: His Nature	p. 51
4 Heroes	p. 58
5 Odysseus at Troy	p. 60
6 Ajax the Silent	p. 70
7 Brief Achilles and Enduring Odysseus	p. 75
8 Hephaestus' World: the Shield	p. 79
9 Patroclus the Friend	p. 88
10 Achilles the Unwitting Liar	p. 90
11 Hector the Holder	p. 95
12 The Plan of Zeus	p. 98
13 Achilles as Hades and Achilles in Hades	p. 100
14 Beginnings and Endings	p. 107
15 The Returns	p. 115
16 The Poet of the Odyssey	p. 118
17 Naivete and Insight	p. 122
18 Beauty and Craft	p. 124
19 Visibility and Visuality	p. 128
20 Simile: The Double Vision	p. 134
21 Name Tags and Speaking Names	p. 141
22 Telemachus and His Telemachy	p. 145
23 Nestor at Home	p. 150
24 Helen at Troy and Helen at Home	p. 154
25 The Stations and Sightings of Odysseus' Odyssey	p. 168
26 Asleep on the Watch	p. 171
27 The Poet of the Odyssey	p. 174
28 The Fame of Men and Women	p. 178
29 Odysseus' Odyssey I: First Through Sixth Adventure	p. 182
30 Odysseus in Hades: Seventh Adventure	p. 197
31 The Wooers in Hades	p. 201
32 The Treasure House of the Greeks	p. 204
33 Odysseus' Odyssey II: Eighth Through Tenth Adventure	p. 208
34 Calypso Who Conceals: Eleventh Adventure	p. 215
35 Phaeacia the Artists' Colony: Twelfth Adventure	p. 219
36 The Locales and Settings of Homer's Odyssey	p. 227
37 The Liar's Goddess	p. 230
38 The Cretan Liar	p. 237
39 Lying Tales Versus Fairy Tales	p. 247
40 Telemachus Returns	p. 250
41 Odysseus and Telemachus: Convergence	p. 255
42 Penelope the Kingly Queen	p. 257
43 Suitors and Servants	p. 264
44 Crisis	p. 270
45 At First Sight	p. 274
46 Testing	p. 285
47 Time Chasms	p. 292
48 Twice Told, Thrice Dead	p. 299
Picture Credits	p. 304
References	p. 305

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Reviews (2)

Choice Review

Library Journal Review

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