Statius' Thebaid / Form premade

1992; Cambridge University Press; Volume: 37; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1017/s006867350000153x

ISSN

2053-5899

Autores

John Henderson,

Tópico(s)

Medieval Literature and History

Resumo

The symbol:‘/’, for ‘ Antithesis ’, is used throughout this essay to indicate the main alternations in its voicing. What I have in mind is to project the contentiousness that constitutes narration through this discussion of Statius' epic. ‘/’ will mark exchange between the (binary/convergent) views of an ‘Eteocles’ and a ‘Polynices’, then, yes, but also between warring textual ‘forces’ such as uirtus / planctus , etc. / etc. For faction and fraction / threaten to / multiply in, and as, ‘ Thebaid ’ - to the power of Seven, or regression to Infinity. The essay explores Thebais' - / Barthes' insight: (T)he antithesis is the battle between two plenitudes set ritually face to face like two fully armed warriors; the Antithesis is the figure of the given opposition, eternal, eternally recurrent: the figure of the inexpiable. Every passage through the wall of the Antithesis thus constitutes a transgression …

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