Cavafy and Plutarch: history, biography and intertextual relations

Hadjineophytou, Salome (2003). Cavafy and Plutarch: history, biography and intertextual relations. University of Birmingham. M.Phil.

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Abstract

The present thesis aims at examining the ways in which Cavafy made use of Plutarch’s work in his poetry and his reasons for doing so; hence its focus is to trace the intertextual relations between the texts of the two writers., In order, therefore, to identify the relations between the work of two writers, the first two Chapters of the thesis will present Plutarch’s and Cavafy’s views on history and biography and on the moral issues that arise from the treatment of these subjects. The purpose of this presentation will be to illustrate that the two writers share some similar views on important subjects, which could justify Plutarch’s presence in a significant number of Cavafian poems. This justification will lead the study to the third Chapter, where the Plutarchian poems will be analysed in detail and reference to all the historical sources of Cavafy will be made, as some of the Plutarchian poems are multi-sourced. As the analysis of the Plutarchian poems will reveal, the extent and nature of Plutarch’s presence in the Cavafian poetry varies, as it depends on the way the poet treated the historical material in every occasion.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Masters by Research > M.Phil.)

Award Type:

Masters by Research > M.Phil.

Supervisor(s):