Hellenistic Poetry

by G.O. Hutchinson

This broad study of the Hellenistic poets of the 3rd century B.C. provides a much needed picture of the poetry of the period while demonstrating its quality and vitality. Hutchinson explores the work of such writers as Theocritus, Callimachus, and Apollonius of Rhodes--developing a general conception of poetry that centers around the poets' handling of tone, level, and form--and offers a fresh analysis of the influence of Hellenistic poetry on that of Rome.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published August 25, 1988

Reviews

[Caracalla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, sometimes pretty eccentric bit of scholarship. He's quite keen on really fixing the tone of these poems, their sense of humor, etc. Writes very interesting things on the use of narrative frame in Theocritus, has some interesting things to say about the way the rusticity of the shepherds is conveyed (strange, slightly blasphemous religiousity, etc.). His use of fairly evaluative language (even terminology from Longinus, stuff like 'frigid') is perhaps justly criticized by other scholars because this language isn't quite of the status of having a shared accepted meaning, etc. His stance against readings that emphasize an explicit literary programme in these poets and later Roman poets certainly seems a good corrective in Callimachus (but the reading of the seventh idyll is pretty unsatisfactory on this account).