Search

(Ὀρφεύς, Ὀρφής; Latin Orpheus) A. Myth The ancient myth of O. is many-layered. Its narrative structure can be separated into a range of constituent phases, ascribing a series of different roles to the O. figure (overview of the ancient myth of O. in, e.g.: [20]; [Klodt in: 36.37–98]; [44]; [64]; cf. also [11]). Subsequent reception has generally selected from these narratives and roles to focus on individual aspects (overview of reception, e.g.: [24]; [62]; [65]; on art in par-¶ ticular [Reinhardt in: 37.77–108]). However, in terms of impact in reception history, most of t…

(Ἑρμῆς [ Hermês], Latin Mercurius) A. Antiquity A.1. Basis of the myth in cult and literature H., usually said to be the son of Zeus and the Arcadian mountain-nymph Maia, is a mythical figure with an extraordinarily broad repertoire of roles (cf. in general on the ancient figure of H. [5], [22], [29]; summary of names and the many interpretations [29.444f.]). He was originally a primaeval god, attested in the Mycenaean period, native to Arcadia and worshipped throughout Greece. His name makes him a god of the ‘…

(Δημοσθένης/ Dēmosthénēs; Latin Demosthenes) A. Historical dimension The Athenian orator, lawyer and politician D. (384–322 BC) was, according to Werner Jaeger, the first European whose biography we know relatively exactly, including his youth [07.5]; cf. [13.61]. Most of the information about his life and character comes from references he made to himself in his speeches. His contemporaries and opponents, such as Aeschines, Deinarchus and Hyperides also referred to him in their speeches. There is also a biography by Plutarch, a…

(῾Εϱμῆς, lat. Mercurius) A. Antike A.1. Grundzüge des Mythos in Kult und Literatur H., für gewöhnlich als Sohn des Zeus und der arkadischen Bergnymphe Maia betrachtet, ist eine myth. Figur mit außergewöhnlich breitem Rollenrepertoire (vgl. allg. zur ant. H.gestalt [5], [22], [29]; zum Namen und seinen vielen Deutungen zusammenfassend [29. 444 f.]). Ursprünglich ist er ein uralter, bereits für die mykenische Zeit bezeugter, in Arkadien beheimateter und in Gemeingriechenland verehrter Gott; seinem Namen nach i…

(᾽Οϱφεύς, ᾽Οϱφής/Orphḗs, lat. Orpheus) A. Mythos Der ant. Mythos um O. ist vielschichtig, zerfällt in seiner narrativen Struktur in eine Reihe distinkter Basisetappen und weist der Gestalt des O. eine Reihe unterschiedlicher Rollen zu (Überblick zum ant. O.mythos u. a.: [20]; [Klodt in: 36. 37–98]; [44]; [64]; vgl. auch [11]). Die spätere Rezeption konzentriert sich gewöhnlich selektiv auf jeweils einzelne dieser erzählerischen Segmente bzw. Rollenzuschreibungen (Überblick zur Rezeption u. a.: [24]; […

Huss, Bernhard [English version] A. Begrifflichkeit (RWG) Der Begriff “L.”, im Dt. gebräuchlich seit 1646 und seither, bes. im 18. Jh., immer wieder umstritten [1. 10-29], ist bis h. ungeklärt. Häufig wird er von “Lehrdichtung” und “didaktischer Poesie” nicht unterschieden und auch auf Dichtung mit nur impliziten didaktischen Intentionen ausgedehnt (sog. “indirekte Lehrdichtung” [5. 11]); die gattungsmäßige Definierbarkeit von L. etwa im MA wurde bestritten [3. 9]. Ein so weiter Begriff [Forschungsüber…

A. Definition and introduction L. are standard languages of high cultural prestige. They are used in literary texts and other public contexts [1.199–200]; [8.1506]; [31.447–448]. In Classical Antiquity, the primary L. were Greek and Latin, and the latter was of greater significance in the reception of antiquity. Its multifacetedness is explained by the fact that written Latin, in Antiquity, existed alongside the primarily oral variants of 'Vulgar Latin', which played a part in influencing the development of written Latin in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages.There were thus …

A. Definition and foundations Renaissance L. was primarily concerned with issues of stylistic poetology, metre and form, then from the late 15th cent. increasingly with problems of the genre system. It was characterized by a confrontation of poetological models that had been received without interruption since Antiquity and conceptions that were 'newly' discovered during the Renaissance. It is found formulated in commentaries on poems, in treatises and letters, in literary dialogues, in m…

A. Definition and ancient origins The Renaissance, with its rediscovery of Antiquity and its texts, not only brought to light many theoretical and poetological options that had been forgotten or ignored in the Middle Ages, but also restored many ancient literary genres to the limelight, or put them there for the first time (cf. Discovery, Rediscovery). The L. of the Renaissance thus came about through a reconciliation of practical and theoretical literary approaches and forms of the Middle…

Huss, Bernhard (Munich) [German version] A. Concept (CT) The term Lehrgedicht ('didactic poem'/DP), used in Germany since 1646 and disputed thereafter [1. 10-29], particularly in the 18th cent., is even today not clearly defined. It is frequently not distinguished from 'didactic literature' and 'didactic poetry'  and is also extended to cover poetry that has only implicitly didactic intentions (so-called 'indirect didactic poetry' [5. 11]). Its definability as a genre was disputed for example in the Middl…

Huss, Bernhard (München) RWG [English version] A. Antike Voraussetzungen (RWG) Die ant. G.-Diskussion wird wesentlich von Aristoteles' Poetik und Horaz' Ars poetica ( Epistula ad Pisones) bestimmt. Die sich in diesen Texten niederschlagenden, teils gegenläufigen Tendenzen wirken sich auf die gesamte Rezeption der ant. G.-Diskussion in der Neuzeit aus. Dabei ist die Tendenz zu einer normativen Poetik und damit zur präskriptiven Auffassung der ant. Theoreme allg. vorherrschend und schon bei Horaz vorgeprägt [18. 257]; som…

Huß, Werner (Bamberg) [German version] A. Ancient Foundations (CT) In Antiquity, the genre debate was largely determined by Aristotle's Poetics and Horace's Ars poetica ( Epistula ad Pisones). The views expressed in these texts, albeit at times contradictory, affected the entire modern reception of the ancient genre debate. The trend towards a normative poetics, and thus a prescriptive understanding of ancient theorems, was generally dominant and already evident in Horace's thinking [18. 257]. In the modern debate, theref…

Kaminski, Nicola I. Germany (CT) [German version] A. General Definition and Systematic Preliminary Clarifications (CT) If one attempts to define the specific nature of the Romantic reception of Antiquity with regard to the preceding literary tradition in Germany, the dismissal of 'the ancients' from their previously undisputed position as an aesthetic standard stands out as the most striking innovation. The artistic and literary authority of ancient models had been challenged before Romanticism, for example in…

Kaminski, Nicola I. Deutschland (RWG) [English version] A. Allgemeine Begriffsbestimmung und systematische Vorklärungen (RWG) Versucht man das Spezifische romantischer Ant.-Rezeption im Verhältnis zur vorausliegenden lit. Trad. in Deutschland zu bestimmen, so zeichnet sich als augenfälligstes Novum die Entlassung “der Alten” aus der bis dahin unbestrittenen Position der ästhetischen Norm ab. Infragegestellt hatte man die künstlerische und lit. Autorität ant. Muster auch schon vor der R., etwa in der im 17. …