Keats and Hellenism: An Essay
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Aske, Martin, PUBLISHER: Cambridge University Press, This book proposes a fresh ong>anong>d original interpretation of Keats' use of classical mythology in his verse. Dr Aske argues that classical ong>anong>tiquity appears to Keats as a supreme fiction, authoritative yet disconcerting, ong>anong>d his poems represent hard endeavours to come to terms with the influence of that fiction. The major poems (most notably Endymion, Hyperion, the Ode on a Greciong>anong> Urn ong>anong>d Lamia) form a stage, as it were, upon which is played out a psychic drama between the modern poet ong>anong>d his classical muse. The study is especially bold in its assimilation of historical scholarship ong>anong>d literary theory to a close reading of the texts. Individual poems are discussed in the context of late Enlightenment ong>anong>d Romong>anong>tic attitudes towards ong>anong>tiquity ong>anong>d in the light of recent critical theory, in particular the theory of literary history ong>anong>d influence formulated by Harold Bloom ong>anong>d Geoffrey Hartmong>anong>. Keats emerges as a significong>anong>t example of the way in which a poet tries to establish a distinct identity under the burden of history ong>anong>d of literary tradition. Buy Now