SANDERS, E.,
Envy and Jealousy in Classical Athens. A Socio-Psychological Approach.
Oxford University Press, 2014. 224p. Hardbound with dust wrps. Series: Emotions of the Past. 'After (...) four chapters on both modern an ancient theoretical approaches follows the treatment of phthonos in specific rhetorical and theatrical texts, offering new insights into the psychological depth of the literary characters presented. Sanders' investigation uncovers new dimensions, so far hidden or not sufficiently appreciated. Sanders examines whether or not Aristotle's theory is consistent with rhetorical practice as it is represented in rhetorical texts (ch. 5), investigating phthonos accusations, explicit suppression and arousal of audience phthonos, as well as covert arousal of audience phthonos. Morally sanctioned or 'good' phthonos (the script 'censure', close to indignation, which Aristotle labelled to nemesan, against the usage current in his time) could be aroused overtly, but it was inappropriate for an orator to arouse bad phthonos, an entirely base emotion which reflected negatively on the person who experienced it. Spite and envy, therefore, had to be triggered covertly alongside good phthonos, the label phthonos itself admitting both interpretations. Plato declared that people attend comedy in order to laugh about their neighbour's misfortune. Chapter 6 examines if indeed the root of all comedy is malice and schadenfreude, showing that Aristophanes' political plays do indeed utilize extensively audience phthonos for the political class. The presence of phthonos in comedy and even more in tragedy has by and large been previously overlooked, because these genres almost never focus on phthonos terminology. (...) Whereas phthonos proper is not a major onstage emotion in drama, sexual jealousy narratives are hugely important in tragedy, as Sanders convincingly demonstrates in the last chapter, the longest one and somehow the culmination of his book. The actions of such famous female figures as Medea, Deianeira and Hermione are motivated not only by such emotions as erôs, rage and anger, but to a considerable extent by jealousy as well. Sanders maintains, therefore, that sexual jealousy did exist as an emotional concept in Classical Athens, although no separate linguistic label was used. According to Sanders' analysis, this specific Athenian jealousy consisted of an explosive mixture of erôs, orgê, misos and phthonos and generally resulted in some sort of destructive action. (...) Sanders' analysis of specific literary texts presents them in such a fresh light that the reader will turn to these well-known works with refreshed curiosity - this is not a minor achievement. (... ). Sanders' book is a precious and enviable contribution both to the history of emotions and to literary studies. (MARTIN HINTERBERGER in Bryn Mawr Classical Review Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2014.10.51).
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