Personality in Greek Epic, Tragedy, and Philosophy: The Self in Dialogue

by Christopher Gill

This is a major study of conceptions of selfhood and personality in Homer and Greek Tragedy and Philosophy. The focus is on the norms of personality in Greek psychology and ethics. Gill argues that the key to understanding Greek thought of this type is to counteract the subjective and
individualistic aspects of our own thinking about the person. He defines an "objective-participant" conception of personality, symbolized by the idea of the person as an interlocutor in a series of psychological and ethical dialogues.

Genres: Philosophy

520 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Searnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Granted! No one will read this. The happy outcome of this Grant obviates any struggle of mine to write coherently and thus provide a thoughtful summary--so, read the book yourself or read the publisher's summary (I am certain that it will do better job of informing the reader of Gill's "elephant" than I can). As for me, it was a fine scholarly book held together by a tightly knit crisscross of footnotes. Gill, however, could have made his well argued case in half of its tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow style. Often, too often, Gill's academic thoroughness worked its narcoleptic charities and I fell asleep. Nevertheless, I finished the book; I read it because I ever seek to improve my understanding, hence my relationship to Medea. My effort to finish this book rewarded that quest.

[Jonathan]

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