The Greek Gods in Modern Scholarship: Interpretation and Belief in Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century Germany and BritainThe nineteenth century is a key period in the history of the interpretation of the Greek gods. The Greek Gods in Modern Scholarship examines how German and British scholars of the time drew on philology, archaeology, comparative mythology, anthropology, or sociology to advance radically different theories on the Greek gods and their origins. For some, they had been personifications of natural elements, for others, they had begun as universal gods like the Christian god, yet for others, they went back to totems or were projections of group unity. The volume discusses the views of both well-known figures like K. O. Müller (1797-1840), or Jane Harrison (1850-1928), and of forgotten, but important, scholars like F. G. Welcker (1784-1868). It explores the underlying assumptions and agendas of the rival theories in the light of their intellectual and cultural context, laying stress on how they were connected to broader contemporary debates over fundamental questions such as the origins and nature of religion, or the relation between Western culture and the 'Orient'. It also considers the impact of theories from this period on twentieth- and twenty-first-century scholarship on Greek religion and draws implications for the study of the Greek gods today. |
Contents
| 1 | |
The Tyranny of Nature over the Greek Gods Variations of Physical Interpretation | 52 |
Stammesgötter and Universal Gods The HistoricalCritical Approach | 131 |
Ancient Polytheisms and Modern Antagonisms Hermann Useners Theory of Sondergötter | 180 |
British Responses | 195 |
Conclusion | 266 |
Apollo in Twentieth and TwentyFirst Century Scholarship | 289 |
Bibliography | 299 |
| 339 | |
| 349 | |
| 352 | |
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The Greek Gods in Modern Scholarship: Interpretation and Belief in ... Michael D. Konaris Limited preview - 2016 |
Common terms and phrases
account of Apollo ancient anthropology antiquity Apollo argued Aryan aspects Athens Berlin Bremmer British Burkert Christian classical scholarship conception contemporary context contrast Creuzer criticism Cults culture Curtius deities Dionysos divine Dorian emphasis Ernst Curtius example Farnell Farnell's Forchhammer Friedrich Gottlieb Welcker further German scholarship Geschichte Gott Götter Göttingen Graf Greece Greek gods Greek mythology Greek polytheism Greek religion Griechen Griechische Mythologie Gruppe Hellenic Henrichs Hermann Hermann Usener Homer Indo-European Comparative Mythology influence J.E. Harrison K.O. Müller Karl Otfried Müller L.R. Farnell Leipzig Lykaios Mannhardt Max Müller modern monotheism monotheistic mysticism myths Nilsson nineteenth century Olympian gods origins Otto Oxford Philologie physical interpretations polytheism portrayal Preller religious ritual Rohde Roman Roscher Schlesier Semitic solar interpretation Sondergötter Stammesgötter and Universal study of Greek suggested theory tradition Turner Tyranny of Nature Universal Gods University Press Urmonotheismus Usener Versnel Voss Welcker Wilamowitz Williamson 2004 worship Zeus Zeus Kronion