Gilgamesh : the life of a poem
(Book)
Author
Published
Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, [2019].
Physical Desc
xvii, 165 pages ; 23 cm
Status
Sierra View Library - Adult Nonfiction
892.1 SCHMID 2019
1 available
892.1 SCHMID 2019
1 available
Description
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Copies
Location | Call Number | Status |
---|---|---|
Sierra View Library - Adult Nonfiction | 892.1 SCHMID 2019 | On Shelf |
More Details
Published
Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, [2019].
Format
Book
Language
English
Notes
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages [159]-162) and index.
Description
"Reflections on a lost poem and its rediscovery by contemporary poets. Gilgamesh is the most ancient long poem known to exist. It is also the newest classic in the canon of world literature. Lost for centuries to the sands of the Middle East but found again in the 1850s, it tells the story of a great king, his heroism, and his eventual defeat. It is a story of monsters, gods, and cataclysms, and of intimate friendship and love. Acclaimed literary historian Michael Schmidt provides a unique meditation on the rediscovery of Gilgamesh and its profound influence on poets today. Schmidt describes how the poem is a work in progress even now, an undertaking that has drawn on the talents and obsessions of an unlikely cast of characters, from archaeologists and museum curators to tomb raiders and jihadis. Fragments of the poem, incised on clay tablets, were scattered across a huge expanse of desert when it was recovered in the nineteenth century. The poem had to be reassembled, its languages deciphered. The discovery of a pre-Noah flood story was front-page news on both sides of the Atlantic, and the poem's allure only continues to grow as additional cuneiform tablets come to light. Its translation, interpretation, and integration are ongoing. In this illuminating book, Schmidt discusses the special fascination Gilgamesh holds for contemporary poets, arguing that part of its appeal is its captivating otherness. He reflects on the work of leading poets such as Charles Olson, Louis Zukofsky, and Yusef Komunyakaa, whose own encounters with the poem are revelatory, and he reads its many translations and editions to bring it vividly to life for readers."--Publisher's website.
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Citations
APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)
Schmidt, M. (2019). Gilgamesh: the life of a poem . Princeton University Press.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Schmidt, Michael, 1947-. 2019. Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem. Princeton University Press.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Schmidt, Michael, 1947-. Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem Princeton University Press, 2019.
MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)Schmidt, Michael. Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem Princeton University Press, 2019.
Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.
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