The Greek Gods in Modern Scholarship: Interpretation and Belief in Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century Germany and Britain
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Author Description
The nineteenth century is a key period in the history of the interpretation of the Greek gods. The Greek Gods in Modern Scholarship examines how German and British scholars of the time drew on philology, archaeology, comparative mythology, anthropology, or sociology to advance radically different theories on the Greek gods and their origins. For some, they had been personifications of natural elements, for others, they had begun as universal gods like the Christian god, yet for others, they went back to totems or were projections of group unity. The volume discusses the views of both well-known figures like K. O. Müller (1797-1840), or Jane Harrison (1850-1928), and of forgotten, but important, scholars like F. G. Welcker (1784-1868). It explores the underlying assumptions and agendas of the rival theories in the light of their intellectual and cultural context, laying stress on how they were connected to broader contemporary debates over fundamental questions such as the origins and nature of religion, or the relation between Western culture and the 'Orient'. It also considers the impact of theories from this period on twentieth- and twenty-first-century scholarship on Greek religion and draws implications for the study of the Greek gods today.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates how nineteenth and early twentieth-century German and British scholars constructed competing interpretations of the Greek gods through the lenses of philology, archaeology, and emerging social sciences. Michael D. Konaris, a scholar of classical reception, utilizes a comparative historical framework to analyze how these intellectual figures projected contemporary cultural anxieties and academic agendas onto ancient deities. The book argues that these theories were not merely objective observations but were deeply embedded in broader debates regarding the nature of religion and the perceived relationship between Western civilization and the Orient.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Comparative analysis of German and British classical scholarship from the 1800s to the early 1900s.
- Examination of diverse methodologies including philology, comparative mythology, anthropology, and sociology.
- Profiles of influential figures such as K. O. Müller, Jane Harrison, and F. G. Welcker.
- Discussion of the ideological connections between classical interpretation and colonial or cultural identity.
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on the German and British academic traditions, excluding significant developments in other European or American schools of thought.
- It does not provide a comprehensive history of Greek religion itself, but rather a history of the scholarship surrounding it.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this volume as a rigorous contribution to the history of classical scholarship and the reception of ancient religion. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a specialized resource for researchers in the fields of historiography and classical studies.
Page Count:
384
Publication Date:
2015-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191057800
ISBN-13:
9780191057809
Religion
Philosophy
History
Ancient History
Academic
Historiography