Elegy with Epic Consequences: Elegiac Themes in Statius’ Thebaid
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University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK
2020
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-ucin15921344782085022021-08-03T07:15:21Z Elegy with Epic Consequences: Elegiac Themes in Statius’ Thebaid Moss, Carina M. Classical Studies Latin Literature Statius elegiac poetry Latin Poetry epic poetry Thebes This dissertation examines the role of elegy in the Thebaid by Statius, from allusion at the level of words or phrases to broad thematic resonance. It argues that Statius attributes elegiac language and themes to characters throughout the epic, especially women. Statius thus activates certain women in the epic as disruptors, emphasizing the ideological conflict between the genres of Latin love elegy and epic poetry. While previous scholarship has emphasized the importance of Statius’ epic predecessors, or the prominence of tragic allusion in the plot, my dissertation centers the role of elegy in this epic. First, I argue that Statius relies on allusion to the genre of elegy to signal the true divine agent of the civil war at Thebes: Vulcan. Vulcan’s erotic jealousy over Venus’ affair with Mars leads him to create the Necklace of Harmonia. Imbued with elegiac resonance, the necklace comes to Argia with corrupted elegiac imagery. Statius characterizes Argia within the dynamic of the elegiac relicta puella and uses this framework to explain Argia’s gift of the necklace to Eriphyle and her advocacy for Argos’ involvement in the war. By observing the full weight of the elegiac imagery in these scenes, I show that Argia mistakenly causes the death of Polynices and the devastation at Thebes as the result of Vulcan’s elegiac curse.Next, I analyze Hypsipyle’s elegiac role in the text in two distinct ways. I first argue that Statius uses elegiac vocabulary from multiple points of view to describe Hypsipyle and her narrative. Her depiction of the Lemnian massacre is indebted to the elegiac topos of militia amoris, and her experiences with Jason, leader of the Argonauts, is characterized by servitium amoris. Then, I examine this elegiac background via Julia Kristeva’s theoretical perspective. Influenced by the association between the elegiac relicta puella and the Kristevan semiotic chora, I expand Hypsipyle’s connection to this topos vis-a-vis Kristeva’s feminine, counter-cultural semiotic. Hypsipyle’s engagement with elegiac topoi throughout the Lemnian and Nemean episodes indicate her oscillation between Kristeva’s semiotic and symbolic orders. Hypsipyle further exhibits the temporal attitude of the relicta puella—repetition and immobility—and hinders the forward progress of the epic. This affects both the forward progress of the Argive army as they delay in Nemea, and the successful conclusion of the epic plot. Finally, I conclude with Book 12 and analyze the elegiac revision of Polynices’ epic march Argia proposes to Antigone. Hippolyta makes an appearance as a foil to Argia and Hypsipyle and a signal that the destructive repetitions of the Theban saga are far from over. This project outlines major elegiac influences on the Thebaid. In it, I argue that Statius’ use of the elegiac mode spreads beyond individual allusion to foreshadow, hinder, and construct the very plot and teleological outcome of the epic as a whole. By incorporating multiple theoretical methodologies from intertextual analysis, genre theory, and Kristeva’s post-structuralist perspectives, my research demonstrates the importance of Latin love elegy to Statius’ epic poem. 2020-09-24 English text University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1592134478208502 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1592134478208502 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
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NDLTD |
| language |
English |
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NDLTD |
| topic |
Classical Studies Latin Literature Statius elegiac poetry Latin Poetry epic poetry Thebes |
| spellingShingle |
Classical Studies Latin Literature Statius elegiac poetry Latin Poetry epic poetry Thebes Moss, Carina M. Elegy with Epic Consequences: Elegiac Themes in Statius’ Thebaid |
| author |
Moss, Carina M. |
| author_facet |
Moss, Carina M. |
| author_sort |
Moss, Carina M. |
| title |
Elegy with Epic Consequences: Elegiac Themes in Statius’ Thebaid |
| title_short |
Elegy with Epic Consequences: Elegiac Themes in Statius’ Thebaid |
| title_full |
Elegy with Epic Consequences: Elegiac Themes in Statius’ Thebaid |
| title_fullStr |
Elegy with Epic Consequences: Elegiac Themes in Statius’ Thebaid |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Elegy with Epic Consequences: Elegiac Themes in Statius’ Thebaid |
| title_sort |
elegy with epic consequences: elegiac themes in statius’ thebaid |
| publisher |
University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2020 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1592134478208502 |
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AT mosscarinam elegywithepicconsequenceselegiacthemesinstatiusthebaid |
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