Morrison, A. (2014) Pamela and Plato: ancient and modern epistolary narrative. In: Cairns, D. and Scodel, R. (eds.) Defining Greek Narrative. Series: Edinburgh Leventis studies (7). Edinburgh University Press: Edinburgh, United Kingdom, pp. 298-313. ISBN 9780748680115 (doi: 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748680108.003.0015)
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Abstract
This chapter discusses differences and similarities between ancient and modern epistolary narratives, comparing Richardson's Pamela, Goethe's Die Leiden des jungen Werthers, Laclos’ Les Liaisons dangereuses and Dorothy L. Sayers’ The Documents in the Case with the collections of letters attributed to Plato, Themistocles, Chion and Euripides. Striking differences emerge: the ancient examples are much shorter, their protagonists are famous historical individuals, they show a prominent apologetic element, and they not all chronologically arranged. The ancient examples contain only letters, and never present an editor, although ancient literature had ‘discovered texts'. Both ancient and modern examples are deeply interested in the psychology of characters and their motivation, in the power but also the dangers of communication in letters, and in epistolarity itself. Understanding the Greek epistolary collections requires looking beyond the modern epistolary novel, especially to ancient biography and apologetic literature such as the Socratic works of Plato and Xenophon.
| Item Type: | Book Sections |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | ISBN: 9780748680108 (print). |
| Status: | Published |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Morrison, Professor Andrew |
| Authors: | Morrison, A. |
| College/School: | College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Classics |
| Journal Name: | Defining Greek Narrative |
| Publisher: | Edinburgh University Press |
| ISBN: | 9780748680115 |
| Related URLs: |
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