Homer in English Criticism. The Historical Approach in the Eighteenth Century. Yale Studies in English (105).

Foerster, Donald M.:

Published by Yale University Press, 1947

About this Item

133 p. Aus der Bibliothek von Prof. Wolfgang Haase, langjährigem Herausgeber der ANRW und des International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT) / From the library of Prof. Wolfgang Haase, long-time editor of ANRW and the International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT). - Altersbedingt vergilbt, Einband stärker berieben und bestoßen, allgemein noch gutes Exemplar / Yellowed due to age, binding somewhat stronger rubbed and scuffed, in generall still good copy. - PREFACE The latter half of the eighteenth century brought new conceptions of the early poet and poem. Formerly thought of as JL a great conscious artist, Homer was being characterized as an ideal example of the irrational, spontaneous bard of a primitive people. His Iliad and Odyssey, once regarded as being essentially above time and place, were now being viewed as important sources for information about early literature and society. A few years ago in investigating the claims of some of Wolfs followers, it seemed to me that there was an evident hiatus in our knowledge of Homeric criticism, that a good deal, at any rate, remained to be said about the gradual development of the historical approach to Homer and the ways in which that approach was used by different authors at different times. It was apparent that no one, including Georg Finsler, author of Homer in der Neuzeit, had discussed the contributions of more than three or four British critics of the eighteenth centuryat least in sufficient detail. This fact would seem to justify the study which follows, a study beginning with the historical comments on Homer by such writers as Mme. Dacier, Fenelon, Parnell, and Pope, continuing with Blackwells important Enquiry and the Scotch primitivists whom he influenced, and concluding with the English critics, especially Robert Wood, to whom the German critics were heavily indebted. Because the historical interpretation of Homer made its most pronounced advances in England and Scotland during this time, only occasional consideration of the Continental critics would appear to be warranted. But it is not merely my purpose to cast some light on our modern historical and scientific treatments of this poet. One should remember that a vast new movement in literary theory was under way in England in the early and middle eighteenth century, that literary scholarship was rapidly moving forward, and that Ossian, Chaucer, Shakespeare, and even the poets of Scandinavia and Persia were being reestimated in accordance with historical standards. To some extent even anticipating the criticism of these poets, the historical approach to Homer is obviously linked with, and a part of, this much larger development and is hence of interest to the student of general literature as well as to the student of the classics. [.] Sprache: Englisch Gewicht in Gramm: 550.

Seller Inventory # 1195019

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Homer in English Criticism. The Historical Approach in the Eighteenth Century. Yale Studies in English (105).
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Publication Date: 1947
• Language: English
• Binding: Leinen / Cloth.
• Condition: Gut
• Weight: 550 grams
• Seller catalogs:
  • Literaturwissenschaft