Title: Lyric texts and lyric consciousness
Description: Lyric Texts and Lyric Consciousness traces the organic development of the lyric form from archaic Greece to Augustan Rome. Professor MiIler distinguishes between early Greek lyric, a largely oral phenomenon, and the more condensed personal poetry that we now think of as lyric. He then offers an original genre theory which meets the demands of contemporary literary theory.

The book examines different forms of poetic subjectivity projected by ancient authors - such as Archilochus, Sappho, Catullus and Horace - through a close reading of both their texts and contexts.

Miller argues that what is considered lyric - a short personal poem which reveals a reflexive subjective consciousness - is only possible in a culture of writing. It is the lyric collection which creates literary consciousness as we know it. This consciousness also requires a social structure where individuals can speak in their own names, not merely in that of their state or class.

It is necessary throughout to rethink what we mean by lyric, genre and subjectivity. The author, trained both as a classicist and a comparatist, and having published on lyric poetry from Sappho to Mallarme, is uniquely qualified to bring together these divergent perspectives.
Subjects: Civilization, Classical poetry, Greek influences, History, History and criticism, Influence, Latin literature, Literary form, Lyric poetry, Classical poetry, history and criticism, Poetry, history and criticism, Poésie lyrique, Histoire et critique, Littérature latine, Influence grecque, Poésie ancienne, LITERARY CRITICISM, Ancient & Classical, Influence (Literary, artistic, etc.), Lyriek, Klassieke talen, Poesia classica grega, Poesia lirica grega, Poesia lirica latina, Literatura comparada, Poésie antique, Poésie lyrique antique, Ancient, General
Places: Rome
People: Augustus Emperor of Rome (63 B.C.-14 A.D)
Time periods: To 1500