Ancient literature. History of development. Representatives of the era of antiquity

The term "ancient literature" was first introduced by the Renaissance humanists, who called the literature of Ancient Greece and Rome so. The term was preserved for these countries and became synonymous with classical antiquity - the world that influenced the formation of European culture.

Periodization of the literature of antiquity

The history of ancient literature is based primarily on the culture of ancient Greece. In connection with this, three periods of its development are distinguished.

1. The first period is called pre-classical or archaic. Literature is represented by oral folk art, which originated from the religion of the Gentiles. It includes hymns, incantations, stories about the gods, lamentations, proverbs and many other genres that represent folklore. The time frame of the first period can not be precisely determined. Oral genres have been formed for many centuries, but the approximate time of its end is the first third of the first millennium.

2. Ancient literature of the second period occupies the 7th-4th c. BC. E. It is customary to call it classical, since it coincides with the time of the formation in Greece of the classical form of slavery. During this period, there were numerous lyrical and epic works, as well as prose, in the development of which a huge contribution was made by speakers, philosophers and historians. Separately, it should be noted V century BC. E., Which is called Golden. The central place in the literature of this period was occupied by the theater.

3. The third, Hellenistic period in the history of ancient literature is associated with the development of slavery. With the advent of the military-monarchical form of the organization of power, a sharp differentiation of human life occurs, which differed radically from the simplicity of the classical period.

This time is often treated as a period of literature degradation. It distinguishes the stage of early and late Hellenism, which occupy a period of time from the III century BC. E. Until the 5th century AD. E. During this period, Roman ancient literature first appeared.

Ancient mythology

The basis of ancient mythology is the stories of the oldest deities, gods-Olympians and heroes.

Legends of the most ancient gods appeared among Greeks and Romans at a time when society was matriarchal. These gods were called chthonic, or beast-like.

With the onset of patriarchy, the gods began to resemble people more. At this time appears the image of Zeus or Jupiter - the supreme deity who lived on Mount Olympus. It is from here that the name of the Olympian gods takes place. In the representation of the Greeks, these creatures had a rigid hierarchy that justified the same order that exists in society.

The heroes of ancient myths were unusual people who appeared as a result of the connection between ordinary mortals and Olympian gods. For example, one of the most famous is Hercules - the son of Zeus and the usual woman Alkmena. The Greeks believed that each of the heroes had a special purpose: to cleanse the Earth of the monsters that Gaia had spawned.

Epos

The works of ancient literature in the epic genre are represented by such names as Homer and Virgil.

Homer is a legendary poet, who is considered the author of the oldest surviving epic poems - "Iliad" and "Odyssey." Sources for the creation of these works were myths, folk songs and legends. Epic poems by Homer were written with a hexameter.

Virgil is an ancient Roman poet, the author of the legendary epic poem "Aeneid." In it the author sings the legendary origin of the Roman people.

Lyrics and drama

One of the most famous representatives of the lyric genre is the poet Sappho. She used traditional folklore motifs, but saturated them with vivid images and strong feelings. The poet gained wide popularity even during her lifetime. Her work consisted of nine books of poetry, but to this day only two poems and a hundred lyrical passages have survived.

Theatrical productions were one of the most popular entertainment in ancient Greece. Antique literature of the Golden Age of this direction is represented in two main genres: tragedies and comedies.

In fact, the ancient tragedy was an opera. Its founder is Ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus. His pen belongs to more than 90 plays, but to this day only seven have survived. One of the most famous tragedies of Aeschylus is Prometheus the Chained, whose image is still used by writers.

The ancient comedy had a political orientation. For example, one of the representatives of this genre - Aristophanes - in his comedies "Mir" and "Lysistrata" condemns the war between Greece and Sparta. The comedy "Riders" severely criticizes the shortcomings of democracy that has developed in Athens.

Origin of the genre of prose

The list of ancient literature in the genre of prose is represented, first of all, by Plato's dialogues. The content of these works is expounded through the arguments and dispute of two interlocutors who must find the truth. The main hero of Plato's dialogues was his teacher Socrates. This form of information was called "Socratic dialogue."

There are 30 Plato's dialogues. The most famous of them are the myth about Atlantis, "Feast", "Fedon", "Fyodr".