Description
THE IDEA OF THE CLASSICAL
Book Summary
This essay offers an exhaustive journey through the genesis and evolution of the concept of the classical, from its origins in Homeric epic to its consolidation in the fine arts during the Renaissance. The authors reconstruct the process of selection and canonization of works and authors, analyzing how lists of authors, the founding of libraries, and Hellenistic literary criticism shaped an idea that has marked Western culture. A fundamental work for understanding the mechanisms that define what is and is not classical.
What is it about?
The book unravels the long historical process that led to the configuration of the idea of the classical. It begins with the Homeric epic, where the first criteria for selection and valuation were already emerging. It then analyzes the Hellenistic period, a key era in which catalogs were created, works were collected, and the first great libraries were founded, establishing selective lists of authors by literary genre. Finally, the study extends to the Renaissance, the moment when the concept, initially applied to literature, was transferred to the other fine arts, fixing the canon that has endured to the present day.
Main Topics
- The formation of the literary canon in Classical Antiquity.
- The role of libraries and catalogs in the selection of authors.
- Hellenistic literary criticism and its criteria for valuation.
- The evolution of the concept of the classical from literature to the fine arts.
- The influence of the Renaissance in establishing the classical canon.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at students and professionals of classical philology, literary theory, and art history, as well as readers interested in the construction of cultural canons and the historical processes that determine the survival of works.
What this book provides
- A panoramic and documented view of the process of canonization of authors and works.
- Keys to understanding how the concept of the classical has been historically constructed.
- A rigorous analysis of the mechanisms of selection and cultural transmission.
- Tools to reflect on the validity and relevance of current canons.
Technical Details
- Author: Pedro Aullón and Emilio Crespo
- Publisher: Casimiro
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Literary Theory, Philosophy
- Collection: Juan Andrés Institute Books
- Binding: Paperback
- Edition date: April 2017
- Number of pages: 370
- Weight: 530 g
Editorial Assessment
This is a reference essay for those who wish to delve into the historical and theoretical foundations of the classical canon. Its diachronic approach and documentary rigor make it a valuable tool both for the academic field and for the educated reader who seeks to understand the roots of our cultural tradition.