Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Αρχαία Ελληνική ΦιλολογίαLibrary of the School of Philosophy
Author:
Papatheodorou Dafni
Supervisors info:
Αθηνά Μπάζου, Λέκτορας Αρχαίας Ελληνικής Φιλολογίας, Τμήμα Φιλολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Δημήτριος Καραδήμας, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής Αρχαίας Ελληνικής Φιλολογίας, Τμήμα Φιλολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Αικατερίνη Καρβούνη, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια Αρχαίας Ελληνικής Φιλολογίας, Τμήμα Φιλολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Ο θάνατος στον Λουκιανό. Φιλοσοφικές και λογοτεχνικές επιδράσεις.
Translated title:
Death in Lucian. Philosophical and literary influences.
Summary:
The present master thesis aims to trace Lucian's views on death, through a study of all his relevant works – the "On mourning", the "Dialogues of the dead", the "Cataplous", the "Charon", the "Menippus" and the section of the "True History II" which takes place in the otherworld. The goal is twofold: a) to investigate the relationship which Lucian establishes with the earlier literary and philosophical tradition when dealing with the subject of death and b) to examine Lucian’s approach to death and his attempt to transform the existential anxiety into satire and reflection on the past and the present. To this end, the author’s position on imitation and originality are discussed and an overview of previous views on death is offered, with particular emphasis on the authors and philosophers that had an impact on Lucian’s thought. Then, focus is upon the otherworld scene that the author builds in the aforementioned works and the main targets of his satire, which include both the traditional conception of afterlife and aspects of religious and social criticism. Finally, it is argued that behind satire we can discern Lucian’s own idea about death, an idea formed by the dialogue with the literary and philosophical tradition in which the author engages, and by the meticulous observation of the society in which he lives.
Main subject category:
Language – Literature
Keywords:
Lucian, death, satire, mimesis, afterlife, underworld, Hades, eschatology
Number of references:
133