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OverviewOffering a new, Plato-inspired reading of the Iliad and the Odyssey, this book traces the divergent consequences of love of honor and love of one's own private life for human excellence, justice, and politics. Analyzing Homer's intricate character portraits, Michelle M. Kundmueller concludes that the poet shows that the excellence or virtue to which humans incline depends on what they love most. Ajax's character demonstrates that human beings who seek honor strive, perhaps above all, to display their courage in battle, while Agamemnon's shows that the love of honor ultimately undermines the potential for moderation, destabilizing political order. In contrast to these portraits, the excellence that Homer links to the love of one's own, such as by Odysseus and his wife, Penelope, fosters moderation and employs speech to resolve conflict. It is Odysseus, rather than Achilles, who is the pinnacle of heroic excellence. Homer's portrait of humanity reveals the value of love of one's own as the better, albeit still incomplete, precursor to a just political order. Kundmueller brings her reading of Homer to bear on contemporary tensions between private life and the pursuit of public honor, arguing that individual desires continue to shape human excellence and our prospects for justice. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Michelle M. KundmuellerPublisher: State University of New York Press Imprint: State University of New York Press Dimensions: Width: 15.20cm , Height: 2.50cm , Length: 22.90cm Weight: 0.227kg ISBN: 9781438476667ISBN 10: 1438476663 Pages: 272 Publication Date: 02 July 2020 Audience: General/trade , General Format: Paperback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: In stock  We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately. Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Human Excellence in Homer Part I. The Iliad 1. Homer’s Honor-Loving Heroes: Ajax and Agamemnon 2. Homer’s Love-Torn Heroes: Achilles and Hektor 3. Homer’s Pausing Hero: Odysseus at Troy Part II. The Odyssey 4. A Hero’s Story 5. Remembering Home 6. At the Heart of Homecoming 7. The Meaning of Homecoming Conclusion: Homer’s Hero Notes Bibliography IndexReviewsIncorporating a great deal of classical scholarship, this is an engaging and well-written book. - CHOICE A beautiful account of the Homeric hero, in all his complexity. - Mary P. Nichols, author of Thucydides and the Pursuit of Freedom Author InformationMichelle M. Kundmueller is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Old Dominion University. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |
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