Slavery and the Roman Literary Imagination (Roman Literature and its Contexts) [Hardcover]

William Fitzgerald (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521770319 | ISBN-13: 978-0521770316 | Publication Date: March 13, 2000

This book deals with the ways in which the ancient Roman literary imagination explored the phenomenon of slavery. It asks what the free imagination made of the experience of living with slaves, beings who both were and were not fellow humans. The book covers the full range of Roman literature, and is arranged thematically. It discusses the ideological relation of Roman literature to the institution of slavery, and also the ways in which slavery provided a metaphor for other relationships and experiences, and in particular for literature itself.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...in this elegant little book he shows how the violent dynamic between free person and slave operated in the barber shop, at the dinner table and in the relationship to one's gods. The book is exceptionally well written, and a welcome addition to the excellent "Roman Literature and Its Contexts" series. Highly recommended." Choice

"...explores with insight and flair the symbiotic relationship between Roman slaves and their masters." Lingua Franca

"In short, an attractive and provocative work. In the estimate of the reviewer, it is one of the best in an outstanding series that has already established itself as an essential part of modern Latin studies" Phoenix 2001

"...a provocative guide to what slavery can tell us about Roman literature and should do much to stimulate further research." Bryn Mawr Classical Review

Book Description

This book deals with the ways in which the ancient Roman literary imagination explored the phenomenon of slavery. It asks what the free imagination made of the experience of living with slaves, beings who both were and were not fellow humans. The book covers the full range of Roman literature, and is arranged thematically. It discusses the ideological relation of Roman literature to the institution of slavery, and also the ways in which slavery provided a metaphor for other relationships and experiences, and in particular for literature itself.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 12 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (March 13, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521770319
• ISBN-13: 978-0521770316
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,395,686 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Could use more texts, August 14, 2003

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TammyJo Eckhart "TammyJo Eckhart" (Bloomington, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Slavery and the Roman Literary Imagination (Roman Literature and its Contexts) (Paperback)

While Fitzgerald's analysis is certainly intriguing, he really needs to use more ancient sources to back up what he is saying in this book. He primarily uses dramas, epitaphs, and poems but he doesn't get the texts for most passages he discusses. I know it is popular to have both the Latin and the translation but frankly it would be better to have only Latin or only a translation if it would allow more examples to be discussed in detail. He raises the interesting question of if and how other literature from other periods might shed light on his topic but doesn't go into detail. The book is very short; it could cover a lot more than it does for the price.