Taking back Sappho: poetic adaptors, translators, and her legacy of control

Siobhan Hodge

Research output: ThesisDoctoral Thesis

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Abstract

The ancient Greek poet Sappho has been subjected to a range of appropriations and constructions, including heavy-handed translations and "socially acceptable" reinventions. However, close readings reveal that Sappho's poetry retains a persistent, subtle focus on self-control and how to control others' thoughts and actions. The manipulative and assertive implications of these features have not gone unnoticed. Many translators and creative adaptors, including six women poets examined in this investigation, have incorporated obsessive, control-orientated Sapphic poetic techniques into their translations and inspired works, to form part of a far less passive poetic legacy for Sappho than has been previously outlined.
Original languageEnglish
QualificationDoctor of Philosophy
Publication statusUnpublished - 2014

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