Catullus and the Poetics of Roman Manhood

This book applies comparative cultural and literary models to a reading of Catullus' poems as social performances of a 'poetics of manhood': a competitively, often outrageously, self-allusive bid for recognition and admiration. Earlier readings of Catullus, based on Romantic and Modernist notions of 'lyric' poetry, have tended to focus on the relationship with Lesbia and to ignore the majority of the shorter poems, which are instead directed at other men. Professor Wray approaches these poems in the light of more recent models for understanding male social interaction in the premodern Mediterranean, placing them in their specifically Roman historical context while bringing out their strikingly 'postmodern' qualities. The result is an alternative way of reading the fiercely aggressive and delicately refined agonism performed in Catullus' shorter poems. All Latin and Greek quoted is supplied with an English translation. This Book Applies Comparative Cultural And Literary Models To A Reading Of Catullus's Poems As Social Performances Of A Poetics Of Manhood: A Competitively, Often Outrageously, Self-allusive Bid For Recognition And Admiration. Earlier Readings Of Catullus, Based On Romantic And Modernist Notions Of Lyric Poetry, Have Tended To Focus On The Relationship With Lesbia And To Ignore The Majority Of The Shorter Poems, Which Are Instead Directed At Other Men. Professor Wray Approaches These Poems In The Light Of New Models For Understanding Male Social Interaction In The Pre-modern Mediterranean, Placing Them In Their Specifically Roman Historical Context While Bringing Out Their Strikingly Postmodern Qualities. The Result Is A New Way Of Reading The Fiercely Aggressive And Delicately Refined Agonism Performed In Catullus's Shorter Poems. All Latin And Greek Quoted Is Supplied With An English Translation.--jacket. 1. Catullan Criticism And The Problem Of Lyric -- 2. A Postmodern Catullus? -- 3. Manhood And Lesbia In The Shorter Poems -- 4. Towards A Mediterranean Poetics Of Aggression -- 5. Code Models Of Catullan Manhood. David Wray. 'passages Discussed': P. 235-242. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 217-234) And Index. Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 9 Preface......Page 11 "CELEBRATE YOUR CATULLUS"......Page 15 SPLENDORS OF THE LYRIC.........Page 23 ... AND THE LYRIC'S SORROWS......Page 32 MAKE CATULLUS MODERN......Page 41 MAKE CATULLUS NEW......Page 50 INTERTEXTUALITY......Page 59 COLLECTION......Page 67 PERFORMANCE......Page 69 THE OBJECT OF CATULLAN POETICS......Page 78 MAN TO MAN (THE POLYMETRIC POEMS)......Page 82 A PRETTY PAIR OF DIRTY "LESBIA POEMS"......Page 89 PASSING NOTES......Page 102 MAN TO MAN (THE EPIGRAMS)......Page 123 CATULLUS AND THE PROBLEM OF AGGRESSION......Page 127 PROBLEMATIZING THE PROBLEM......Page 131 VERONESE CATULLUS AS AN ANDALUSIAN DOG......Page 143 WICKED TONGUES AND EVIL EYES......Page 157 THE TEXTUALITY OF CATULLAN MANHOOD......Page 175 ARCHAIC BLAME AND THE SHAME OF BEING ARCHILOCHUS......Page 181 HELLENISTIC DELICACY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING CALLIMACHUS......Page 200 CONCLUSION: CATULLAN SELF-PERFORMANCE AND THE DOUBLE BIND OF ROMAN MANHOOD......Page 217 Works cited......Page 231 Passages discussed......Page 249 General index......Page 257 This literary study of the first-century BCE Roman poet, Catullus uses two sets of comparative models to offer a new understanding of his poems. The first consists of cultural anthropological accounts of male social interaction in the premodern Mediterranean, and the second, the postmodern poetics of such twentieth-century poets as Louis Zukofsky, which are characterized by simultaneous juxtaposition, a "collage" aesthetic, and self-allusive play. The book will be of interest to students of comparative literature and gender studies as well as to classicists. An interesting reading of Catullus' poems as social performances of a 'poetics of manhood'. It exploits cultural anthropological accounts of male social interaction in the premodern Mediterranean, which are placed in a Roman historical context and illuminated by a postmodern poetics of performativity, juxtaposition, simultaneity and intertextuality. Machine generated contents note: 1 Catullan criticism and the problem of lyric 2 A postmodem Catullus? 3 Manhood and Lesbia in the shorter poems 4 Towards a Mediterranean poetics of aggression 5 Code models of Catullan manhood Works cited Passges discussed General index. New thinking from a new book: a fair enough expectation, even when the new book is a literary study of an ancient poet, and even when the ancient poet is Catullus.