Sexual Ambivalence: Androgyny and Hermaphroditism in Graeco-Roman Antiquity (A Joan Palevsky book in classical literature)
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.94 (689 Votes) |
| Asin | : | B005DICPEI |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 209 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-05-11 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
These selections--from mythological, philosophical, historical, and anecdotal sources--describe cases of either simultaneous dual sexuality, as in androgyny and in hermaphroditism, or successive dual sexuality, as in the case of Tiresias (the blind Theban prophet), which are found through the whole span of Graeco-Roman antiquity. This provocative material is profoundly relevant to our thinking today.. He presents the manifold variants of the myth of Tiresias, as well as many other sources.Brisson quotes this material at length and discusses its significance in Graeco-Roman myth and philosophy. There is the ghost story about a father who returns from the dead to devour his dual-sexed son in the public square, leaving behind only the head, which proceeds to deliver a prophecy from its position on the ground. These ancient stories open a window onto a world without the sexual oppositions of male and female, a paradise of unity and self-containment, as well as onto the peculiar world of go-betweens like the prophet Tiresias. Luc Brisson provides a commentary that situates this rich source material within its historical and intellectual contexts. In addition to including such familiar sources as the myths of Salmacis and Hermaphroditus as told in Ovid's Metamorphoses and Aristophanes' myth of the origins of the sexes and sexuality in Plato's Symposium, Brisson also discusses cosmogonic mythology in Hesiodic poetry, the Orphic Rh
Language Notes Text: English (translation) Original Language: French
duals Wispy and suggestive, this little book addresses the historical accounts, mythological examples and religious explanations of dual sexuality in the ancient world. This one is definitely not a treatise in current cultural studies, as the only authors cited are ancients. While Brisson does not stray from his historical task, the dearth of contemporary situational relevance, or comparison even, may be a weakness of the book. However, the accounts are insightful. The chapter on Plato's myth from the concerning the dual-sexuality of original states is a strong one. Also a nice treat, Brisson presents discussion of t. "Four Stars" according to Jeffrey Barnouw. good work