Achilles beside Gilgamesh by Michael Clarke

Achilles beside Gilgamesh by Michael Clarke

It is widely recognised that the epics of Homer are closely related to the earlier mythology and literature of the Ancient Near East, above all the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh. But how should this influence our response to the meaning and message of either poem? This book responds to this question through an experiment in intertextual reading. It begins by exploring Gilgamesh as a work of literature in its own right, and uses this interpretation as the springboard for a new reading of the Homeric epic, emphasising the movement within the poem - beginning from a world of heroic action and external violence, but shifting inwards to the thoughts and feelings of Achilles as he responds to the certainty that his own death will follow that of his best friend. The book will be of interest both to specialists and to those coming to ancient literature for the first time.

'Engaging, up-to-date, and deeply informed across disciplinary lines, this is an important resource for those interested in classics, mythology, and world literature' P. E. Ojennus, Choice

Michael Clarke is Established Professor of Classics  at the National University of Ireland, Galway. His interests lie in the comparative study of classical and medieval literatures, especially ancient Greek and medieval Irish, and especially in the emergence of the Homeric epic out of the Ancient Near East. He is the author of Flesh and Spirit in the Songs of Homer: A Study of Words and Myths (2000).

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781108481786
ISBN 10	1108481787
Title	Achilles beside Gilgamesh
Author	Michael Clarke
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Year published	2019-11-28
Number of pages	920
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable