Erechtheus

Algernon Charles SwinburneProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.3

Word count: 97K words
Chapters: 10

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Erechtheus by Algernon Charles SwinburneAuthor: Swinburne, Algernon Charles, 1837-1909,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jun 11, 2006

Editor's review

Erechtheus is a verse drama by the English poet Swinburne based on an ancient Athenian legend, drawing on the old story of King Erechtheus of Athens sacrificing his daughter for the city. Swinburne is known for his elaborate prosody and intense imagery, and this work exemplifies his ability to reimagine classical subjects and his lyrical gifts. As a public-domain ebook, its value lies in giving readers low-cost access to a Victorian English poet's literary reconstruction of Greek myth; it suits readers studying poetry, the history of classical reception, or Victorian literature. Readers should attend to the verse drama's rhythm and rhetoric rather than expecting a plot-driven novel; reading passages aloud in a quiet setting often reveals the texture of the language better than silent reading. For general readers, the main barrier to entry is the classical background and the language of English poetry, but for that very reason it offers solid practice in close reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English poetry enthusiasts willing to read closely for rhythm and imagery
Scholars and students studying the reception of ancient Greek myth in English literature
Readers interested in Victorian verse drama and the reworking of classical subjects
Advanced English majors using it as material for poetic textual analysis

Not a good fit for

Readers who want a Chinese translation and are not used to English poetry in the original
General readers who prefer modern vernacular narrative and are unfamiliar with verse drama
Those with no knowledge of the ancient Greek mythological background who are unwilling to consult reference materials

Reading tips

First learn the outline of the Erechtheus legend before entering the text, to lower the background barrier.
Choose passages to read aloud and sense Swinburne's rhythm and sound design.
Mark recurring images as you read, and after finishing summarize their symbolic threads.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this work a verse drama or a narrative poem?

It is a drama written in verse, centered on the story of King Erechtheus of Athens, containing dramatic dialogue and lyrical passages, though the reading experience is closer to poetry than to a modern stage play script.

Can I read it without knowing Greek mythology?

You can, but it is advisable to spend a little time first learning the basic legend of Erechtheus sacrificing his daughter, otherwise some plot motivations and character relationships are hard to grasp. The text itself does not include detailed notes.

How difficult is the English?

It is Victorian poetic language with long sentences and dense rhetoric, more difficult than ordinary prose. It suits readers with some experience of English poetry; beginners may use an annotated edition or a reference translation for support.

Comments

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About the author

Algernon Charles Swinburne Author · United Kingdom · 1837–1909

Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837–1909) was an English poet, playwright and literary critic of the Victorian era. Born in London, he attended Eton and Oxford and was influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites. He is known for lyric poetry of sumptuous sound and rich diction, combining sensuous colour with the gravity of classical subjects. His representative works include the verse drama Atalanta in Calydon, the collections Poems and Ballads, Songs Before Sunrise, A Midsummer Holiday and Other Poems and Astrophel and Other Poems, as well as The Triumph of Time and the critical study A Study of Shakespeare. Twenty-five of his works are held in the collection. Public information is limited, yet his style has had a lasting influence on British aestheticism and the lyric tradition.