The Alexiad of Anna Komnene : artistic strategy in the making of a myth / Penelope Buckley.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Buckley, Penelope, 1942- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Comnena, Anna, 1083- Alexiad--Criticism, Textual.

Comnena, Anna.

Comnena, Anna, 1083---Writing skill.

Comnena, Anna, 1083-.

Alexius I Comnenus, Emperor of the East, 1048-1118--In literature.

Alexius.

Alexius I Comnenus, Emperor of the East, 1048-1118.

Emperors--Byzantine Empire--Biography--History and criticism.

Emperors.

Byzantine Empire--Biography--History and criticism.

Byzantine Empire.

Biography.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

xv, 318 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, United Kingdom : Cambridge University Press, 2014.

Summary:

"This is the first full-scale study of the literary art of Anna Komnene's Alexiad. Her history of her father's reign is well-known and much used by Byzantinists and historians of the First Crusade, but the art with which it shapes its central character has not been fully examined or understood. This book argues that the work is both history and tragedy; the characterization of Alexios I Komnenos is cumulative; it develops; the models for his idealization change; much of the action takes place in his mind and the narrative relays and amplifies his thought while building a dense picture of the world in which he acts. Engaging critically and responsively with other texts, Komnene uses the full range of current literary genres to portray the ideal culture of his rule. She matches her art of literary control to his of government over the adverse forces of his time"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

The prologue

The Emperor Alexios, my father

The soldier-emperor

The second story begins

West into East

The second Norman war and the Crusade

The second Constantine and the last

Conclusions

Appendix: The Alexiad as pre-Renaissance text.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781107037229

1107037220

OCLC:

863196790

Online:

Cover image