Poetics before Plato : interpretation and authority in early Greek theories of poetry / Grace M. Ledbetter.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ledbetter, Grace M., 1965-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Greek poetry--History and criticism--Theory, etc.

Greek poetry.

Poetics--History--To 1500.

Poetics.

Authority in literature.

Aesthetics, Ancient.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (142 p.)

Edition:

Course Book

Place of Publication:

Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, 2003.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Combining literary and philosophical analysis, this study defends an utterly innovative reading of the early history of poetics. It is the first to argue that there is a distinctively Socratic view of poetry and the first to connect the Socratic view of poetry with earlier literary tradition. Literary theory is usually said to begin with Plato's famous critique of poetry in the Republic. Grace Ledbetter challenges this entrenched assumption by arguing that Plato's earlier dialogues Ion, Protagoras, and Apology introduce a distinctively Socratic theory of poetry that responds polemically to traditional poets as rival theorists. Ledbetter tracks the sources of this Socratic response by introducing separate readings of the poetics implicit in the poetry of Homer, Hesiod, and Pindar. Examining these poets' theories from a new angle that uncovers their literary, rhetorical, and political aims, she demonstrates their decisive influence on Socratic thinking about poetry. The Socratic poetics Ledbetter elucidates focuses not on censorship, but on the interpretation of poetry as a source of moral wisdom. This philosophical approach to interpreting poetry stands at odds with the poets' own theories--and with the Sophists' treatment of poetry. Unlike the Republic's focus on exposing and banishing poetry's irrational and unavoidably corrupting influence, Socrates' theory includes poetry as subject matter for philosophical inquiry within an examined life. Reaching back into what has too long been considered literary theory's prehistory, Ledbetter advances arguments that will redefine how classicists, philosophers, and literary theorists think about Plato's poetics.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Introduction: Poetry, Knowledge, and Interpretation

Chapter One. Supernatural Knowledge in Homeric Poetics

Chapter Two. Hesiod's Naturalism

Chapter Three. Pindar: The Poet as Interpreter

Chapter Four. Socratic Poetics

Chapter Five. Toward a Model of Socratic Interpretation

Bibliographic References

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [119]-124) and index.

ISBN:

9786612087646

9781282087644

1282087649

9781400825288

1400825288

OCLC:

368344295