Difference between revisions of "Ossian"

From Angl-Am
Jump to: navigation, search
 
Line 1: Line 1:
I read int Ossian and its surrounding materials for the Basismodul-Lecture last winter and was greatly surprised. The title offers an ancient epic poem - and does not keep its promise. Instead we get a dissertation about the qualities of this poem and what is called a translation of the original Scottish work.  
+
I read into Ossian and its surrounding materials for the Basismodul-Lecture last winter and was greatly surprised. The title offers an ancient epic poem - and does not keep its promise. Instead we get a dissertation about the qualities of this poem and what is called a translation of the original Scottish work.  
  
 
The text was everything but that translation - it was much rather a fake, the original epic was never found. It became, nonetheless, influential: as an early work of original northern poetry (before such works came to be discovered). ''Ossian'' inspired imitations, versifications and translations, and the preface had done a good job to kindle this fire.
 
The text was everything but that translation - it was much rather a fake, the original epic was never found. It became, nonetheless, influential: as an early work of original northern poetry (before such works came to be discovered). ''Ossian'' inspired imitations, versifications and translations, and the preface had done a good job to kindle this fire.

Latest revision as of 14:29, 15 August 2007

I read into Ossian and its surrounding materials for the Basismodul-Lecture last winter and was greatly surprised. The title offers an ancient epic poem - and does not keep its promise. Instead we get a dissertation about the qualities of this poem and what is called a translation of the original Scottish work.

The text was everything but that translation - it was much rather a fake, the original epic was never found. It became, nonetheless, influential: as an early work of original northern poetry (before such works came to be discovered). Ossian inspired imitations, versifications and translations, and the preface had done a good job to kindle this fire.

The seminar might focus on

  • the textual history,
  • the complex European reception history,
  • the influence on real discoveries such as Beowulf
  • the question why scientists like Johann Gottfried Herder could read this book as authentic,
  • the parallel between the Ossian discovery and the fashions of 20th century fantasy fiction