University of New Mexico
Hearts, Bellies, and the Hunger of Heroes: Intertraditional Agonistic Discourse between the Iliad and Odyssey
Abstract
dc:description.abstractWithin this thesis I argue that the Iliad and Odyssey, as representatives of sub-genres within the larger archaic Greek epic tradition, engage in a shared agonistic discourse with one another in order to demonstrate that the hero of each epic is superior to that of its competitor. In order to trace this agonistic discourse, I examine the manner in which each epic employs the terms thumos, 'heart,' and gaster, 'belly,' to define itself in opposition to its competing epic sub-genre. Traditionally scholars have considered the Odyssey the more recent of the two epics and, thus, relying upon the Iliad. However, I contend that both epics are the products of competing performance traditions, such that we may find not only that the Odyssey is in agonistic competition with the Iliad, but that the Iliad is itself competing with the Odyssey.
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies
- Level thesis:degree_level
- Thesis
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
- Year
- 2011
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- McMullin, Israel
- Contributors dc:contributor
-
- Garcia Jr., Lorenzo
- Cyrino, Monica
- Brau, Lorie
Subjects
dc:subject × 5Rights
- Language dc:language
- English
Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:digitalrepository.unm.edu:fll_etds-1055