Asking for the moon : an intertextual approach to metapoetic magic in Augustan love-elegy and related genres
This thesis offers a new perspective on the metapoetic use of magic in the love-elegies of Propertius, Tibullus, and Ovid, a theme which, though widely acknowledged in contemporary scholarship, has so far received little comprehensive treatment. The present study approaches the motif through its intertextual dialogues with magic in earlier and contemporary texts â Theocritusâ Idyll 2, Apollonius Rhodiusâ Argonautica, Vergilâs Eclogue 8 and Horaceâs Epodes â with the aim of investigating the origin and development of love-elegyâs self-construction as magic and of the association of this theme with poetic enchantment, deceit, and failure throughout the genre. While previous commentators have noted lexical and thematic similarities between magic in love-elegy and in other Augustan and Hellenistic poetic genres, they seldom pursue these parallels or interpret them as evidence of literary interaction. By reading these correspondences as signs of intertextual relationships, this thesis provides fresh examples of magicâs metapoetic function in love-elegy â including practical rites alongside the recognised polysemy of carmina â which add to its status as a defining metaphor for the genre. This
Chadha, Zara Kaur
Asking for the moon : an intertextual approach to metapoetic magic in Augustan love-elegy and related genres. This thesis offers a new perspective on the metapoetic use of magic in the love-elegies of Propertius, Tibullus, and Ovid, a theme which, though widely acknowledged in contemporary scholarship, has so far received little comprehensive treatment. The present study approaches the motif through its intertextual dialogues with magic in earlier and contemporary texts â Theocritusâ Idyll 2, Apollonius Rhodiusâ Argonautica, Vergilâs Eclogue 8 and Horaceâs Epodes â with the aim of investigating the origin and development of love-elegyâs self-construction as magic and of the association of this theme with poetic enchantment, deceit, and failure throughout the genre. While previous commentators have noted lexical and thematic similarities between magic in love-elegy and in other Augustan and Hellenistic poetic genres, they seldom pursue these parallels or interpret them as evidence of literary interaction. By reading these correspondences as signs of intertextual relationships, this thesis provides fresh examples of magicâs metapoetic function in love-elegy â including practical rites alongside the recognised polysemy of carmina â which add to its status as a defining metaphor for the genre. This
intertextual magic augustan love related genre offer_new perspective use magic love ovid theme though widely_acknowledge contemporary scholarship far_receive little comprehensive treatment present_study approach motif intertextual dialogue magic early contemporary text aim_investigate origin_development love self construction magic association theme poetic failure throughout genre previous commentator note lexical thematic similarity magic love augustan hellenistic poetic genre seldom pursue parallel interpret evidence literary interaction read correspondence sign intertextual relationship provide_fresh example magic function love include practical rite alongside recognise polysemy add status define metaphor genre