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The Authoress of the Odyssey
Hardcover
Literary CriticismAncient Greece
ISBN13: 9781025501123
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 354
Weight: 1.48
Height: 0.81 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Authoress of the Odyssey is a provocative work of literary criticism that challenges long-standing assumptions about the authorship of one of Western literature's greatest epics. In this scholarly yet accessible study, Samuel Butler argues that the Odyssey was not composed by the same hand as the Iliad, but was instead the work of a young, gifted woman living in Trapani, Sicily. Butler meticulously examines the internal evidence of the text, highlighting domestic details, feminine perspectives, and geographical descriptions that support his controversial theory.
By analyzing the poem's portrayal of women and its focus on household management, Butler suggests a creative voice distinct from the martial focus of the Iliad. He further explores the landscape of ancient Sicily, correlating the topography of the poem with the real-world features of the island. This work remains a fascinating example of Victorian literary detective work and a pioneering contribution to Homeric scholarship, inviting readers to reconsider the origins of ancient Greek poetry and the role of women in the classical world. It is an essential read for those interested in the works of Homer, classical studies, and the history of literary theory.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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