Helen of Troy: representing absolute beauty in language
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| Format: | Artículo científico |
| Sprache: | en |
| Veröffentlicht: |
Spanish and Portuguese Society for English Renaissance Studies
2006
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| _version_ | 1876483811221438464 |
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| author | Laurie Maguire |
| author_facet | Laurie Maguire |
| contents | Helen of Troy: representing absolute beauty in language Laurie Maguire Lengua y Literatura Rape Rape beauty beauty Dr Faustus Helen of Troy is famous for two things: her abduction from Sparta to Troy by the Trojan prince, Paris, and her beauty. In this article I consider the interest taken in these two topics by Renaissance writers. 1) ‘Rape’ was a term which was being redefined in the 1590s when Helen’s story received several innovative retellings and reinterpretations; I argue that changes in rape law gave this old mythological story of abduction a newly urgent topicality. 2) As the most beautiful woman in the world Helen of Troy is an absolute – the paradigm, the standard of beauty. Representing her in language is therefore difficult, if not impossible, since language is, by definition, plural and relative. The Renaissance were aware of this conflict. I consider the responses of narrative and dramatic representation to the challenge which Helen’s beauty presented. 2006 artículo científico 1135-7789 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=333527602002 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=3335 SEDERI Yearbook application/pdf Spanish and Portuguese Society for English Renaissance Studies SEDERI Yearbook (España) Num.16 |
| format | Artículo científico |
| id | redalyc_333527602002 |
| institution | Redalyc |
| language | en |
| publishDate | 2006 |
| publisher | Spanish and Portuguese Society for English Renaissance Studies |
| spellingShingle | Helen of Troy: representing absolute beauty in language Laurie Maguire Lengua y Literatura Rape Rape beauty beauty Dr Faustus Helen of Troy: representing absolute beauty in language Laurie Maguire Lengua y Literatura Rape Rape beauty beauty Dr Faustus Helen of Troy is famous for two things: her abduction from Sparta to Troy by the Trojan prince, Paris, and her beauty. In this article I consider the interest taken in these two topics by Renaissance writers. 1) ‘Rape’ was a term which was being redefined in the 1590s when Helen’s story received several innovative retellings and reinterpretations; I argue that changes in rape law gave this old mythological story of abduction a newly urgent topicality. 2) As the most beautiful woman in the world Helen of Troy is an absolute – the paradigm, the standard of beauty. Representing her in language is therefore difficult, if not impossible, since language is, by definition, plural and relative. The Renaissance were aware of this conflict. I consider the responses of narrative and dramatic representation to the challenge which Helen’s beauty presented. 2006 artículo científico 1135-7789 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=333527602002 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=3335 SEDERI Yearbook application/pdf Spanish and Portuguese Society for English Renaissance Studies SEDERI Yearbook (España) Num.16 |
| title | Helen of Troy: representing absolute beauty in language |
| topic | Lengua y Literatura Rape Rape beauty beauty Dr Faustus |
| url | https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=333527602002 |