Homer and His Age By: Andrew Lang (1844-1912)
In Homer and His Age, author Andrew Lang delivers an extensive and fascinating exploration of the legendary poet Homer and the epoch in which he lived. Through meticulous research and an engaging writing style, Lang invites readers on an illuminating journey, unraveling the enigmatic world of ancient Greece. One of the book's strengths lies in its thorough examination of the life and times of Homer. Lang paints a vivid portrait of the poet, piecing together fragments of information from various ancient sources and challenging some widely accepted speculations. With an acute eye for detail, he helps readers understand the socio-cultural context in which Homer created his works, shedding light on the influences and circumstances that shaped the epic poems, such as The Iliad and The Odyssey. The work is also commendable for its extensive analysis of the Homeric poems themselves. Lang expertly dissects these timeless classics, unraveling their rich symbolism, themes, and literary devices. His interpretations are thought-provoking, offering fresh perspectives and encouraging readers to view the poems from new angles. Moreover, he delves into the intricacies of the Homeric language, examining its peculiarities and unveiling the hidden complexities beneath its seemingly straightforward surface. In addition to the in-depth exploration of Homer, Lang skillfully contextualizes the poet within the broader framework of ancient Greece. By examining the historical and cultural milieu in which Homer thrived, the author enhances our understanding of the literary and intellectual climate of that era. Lang also explores the social and political dynamics prevalent during Homer's time, illustrating how these factors influenced his writing and contributed to the enduring impact of his works. One minor criticism of the book is its occasional digressions into tangential topics. While these diversions offer valuable insights into related subjects, they can occasionally disrupt the flow of the narrative and distract the reader from the central focus of Homer and his age. Nevertheless, Homer and His Age is a riveting and masterfully executed work that is sure to captivate both casual readers and scholars interested in ancient literature. Andrew Lang's thorough research, combined with his engaging prose, creates an accessible and comprehensive study that sheds new light on the enigmatic figure of Homer and his unparalleled contributions to the literary world. First Page: [Etext Editor's note: Due to unclear typesetting of the original work, which contains unidentifiable characters and blank spaces, it has not been possible to capture this text completely. Where we have been unable to recover the meaning of the text, this has been indicated by the annotation [sic] or [blank space]. We hope that in the future a complete edition can be found and these gaps can be filled.] HOMER AND HIS AGE BY ANDREW LANG [Illustration: ALGONQUINS UNDER SHIELD Frontispiece ] To R. W. RAPER IN ALL GRATITUDE PREFACE In Homer and the Epic , ten or twelve years ago, I examined the literary objections to Homeric unity. These objections are chiefly based on alleged discrepancies in the narrative, of which no one poet, it is supposed, could have been guilty. The critics repose, I venture to think, mainly on a fallacy. We may style it the fallacy of "the analytical reader." The poet is expected to satisfy a minutely critical reader, a personage whom he could not foresee, and whom he did not address. Nor are "contradictory instances" examined that is, as Blass has recently reminded his countrymen, Homer is put to a test which Goethe could not endure. No long fictitious narrative can satisfy "the analytical reader." The fallacy is that of disregarding the Homeric poet's audience... Continue reading book >>

Homer and His Age By: Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

In Homer and His Age, author Andrew Lang delivers an extensive and fascinating exploration of the legendary poet Homer and the epoch in which he lived. Through meticulous research and an engaging writing style, Lang invites readers on an illuminating journey, unraveling the enigmatic world of ancient Greece.

One of the book's strengths lies in its thorough examination of the life and times of Homer. Lang paints a vivid portrait of the poet, piecing together fragments of information from various ancient sources and challenging some widely accepted speculations. With an acute eye for detail, he helps readers understand the socio-cultural context in which Homer created his works, shedding light on the influences and circumstances that shaped the epic poems, such as The Iliad and The Odyssey.

The work is also commendable for its extensive analysis of the Homeric poems themselves. Lang expertly dissects these timeless classics, unraveling their rich symbolism, themes, and literary devices. His interpretations are thought-provoking, offering fresh perspectives and encouraging readers to view the poems from new angles. Moreover, he delves into the intricacies of the Homeric language, examining its peculiarities and unveiling the hidden complexities beneath its seemingly straightforward surface.

In addition to the in-depth exploration of Homer, Lang skillfully contextualizes the poet within the broader framework of ancient Greece. By examining the historical and cultural milieu in which Homer thrived, the author enhances our understanding of the literary and intellectual climate of that era. Lang also explores the social and political dynamics prevalent during Homer's time, illustrating how these factors influenced his writing and contributed to the enduring impact of his works.

One minor criticism of the book is its occasional digressions into tangential topics. While these diversions offer valuable insights into related subjects, they can occasionally disrupt the flow of the narrative and distract the reader from the central focus of Homer and his age.

Nevertheless, Homer and His Age is a riveting and masterfully executed work that is sure to captivate both casual readers and scholars interested in ancient literature. Andrew Lang's thorough research, combined with his engaging prose, creates an accessible and comprehensive study that sheds new light on the enigmatic figure of Homer and his unparalleled contributions to the literary world.

First Page:

[Etext Editor's note: Due to unclear typesetting of the original work, which contains unidentifiable characters and blank spaces, it has not been possible to capture this text completely. Where we have been unable to recover the meaning of the text, this has been indicated by the annotation [sic] or [blank space]. We hope that in the future a complete edition can be found and these gaps can be filled.]

HOMER AND HIS AGE

ANDREW LANG

[Illustration: ALGONQUINS UNDER SHIELD Frontispiece ]

To R. W. RAPER IN ALL GRATITUDE

PREFACE

In Homer and the Epic , ten or twelve years ago, I examined the literary objections to Homeric unity. These objections are chiefly based on alleged discrepancies in the narrative, of which no one poet, it is supposed, could have been guilty. The critics repose, I venture to think, mainly on a fallacy. We may style it the fallacy of "the analytical reader." The poet is expected to satisfy a minutely critical reader, a personage whom he could not foresee, and whom he did not address. Nor are "contradictory instances" examined that is, as Blass has recently reminded his countrymen, Homer is put to a test which Goethe could not endure. No long fictitious narrative can satisfy "the analytical reader."

The fallacy is that of disregarding the Homeric poet's audience... Continue reading book >>

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