The essays in this volume explore different aspects of the relation between Greek myth and Greek thought between the Archaic period (Homer and Hesiod) and the Hellenistic period; highlighting both the continuities and the contrasts in the Greek interpretations and 'uses' of myth. With the exception of the essay by Louis Gernet; all bear traces of the authors; attempts to combine older views stemming essentially from Durkheim and his pupils with Levi-Strauss's version of structuralism. Because the potential field is unmanageably large this selection concentrates on four important areas: the value of Greek myth in revealing the underlying coherence of Greek views of divinity; the manner in which Greek myth constructed meanings for Greek culture as a whole by selecting and combining certain motifs derived from different areas of life; the relationship between myth and delicate areas of social existence such as the nature of the value of certain objects and the passage of individuals from one status to another; and finally; the role of the myth in providing 'forms' for breaking rules - both in order to confirm the norm and to provide symbolic and actuals means of escape from dominant social rules and meanings. This book should be of interest to students in a number of disciplines concerned with myth and ancient society.
#817444 in Books May Robert E 2013-10-07 2013-12-12Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.98 x .71 x 5.98l; .95 #File Name: 0521132525310 pagesSlavery Race and Conquest in the Tropics Lincoln Douglas and the Future of Latin America
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Excellent book for the true Civil War enthusiast.By James R; GossertDr. May has covered part of Southern Civil War history that is seldom studied by Civil War enthusiasts. His writing style is full of details to back his theories.5 of 12 people found the following review helpful. Mays opens the door. FinallyBy Mark D Cordered. Finally it looks as if what Southern leaders boasted of out the $%^ at the time; will get some attention;. The killings; tortures; and killing sprees; financed by Jefferson Davis; using US Senator David Atchison as his leader of Texas men hired to invade Kansas; will get attention too. They killed; and bragged they killed; not just to spread slavery against 95% votes of white men in Kansas; they also killed and tortured to stop people there from speaking against slavery;.Men could be; and were; arrested and tortured; just for refusing to sign a card that said they supported slavery. Not arrested and tortured by some nuts; but by law enforcement -- the Texas men hired by Jefferson Davis; paid by Jefferson Davis; as secretary of war. See Atchison's speech bragging about it.Shame on every "historian" who glossed over this; or never too the time to read Southern books; Southern speeches; Southern documents bragging -- BRAGGING in the most extreme terms -- about doing this. It was no secret -- Charles Sumner was beaten almost to death on floor of the US Senate for exposing David Rice Atchison by name.May is going to concentrate on the foreign goals of the Confederate leaders. Not all their leaders; of course; but the ones that mattered. Jefferson Davis; Robert Toombs; David Atchison -- and their paid helper; Stephen A Douglas; Douglas role in helping the killing sprees in Kansas when he was Chairman of House and Senate Committee on Territories; is pathetically overlooked. Maybe this book will expose those; without Douglas duplicity; Atchison never goes to Kansas; there are no killing sprees there; Taney is not forced to cover for Atchison with the Dred Scott Decision.; Yes; Dred Scott decision came as a cover for Atchison's killing sprees; which started; funded by Davis; aided by Douglas; the year before.150 years of BS is enough. It's time. It's time we use facts -- not the BS repeated by McPherson; who essentially mouths every twisted bit of deception uttered first by Jefferson Davis. Shame on every historian who just repeated BS. Good luck Mays. This is just the start.
