The Dynamics of Paratextuality in Late Antique Literature: Stumbling Texts

(Hardback)

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Through an examination of paratextuality in late antique literature, this collection of essays reconsiders the importance of the written material that appears in the margins of ancient poetic texts. Paratexts such as headings, prefaces, letters et al. have largely been skimmed over or completely disregarded in favour of the main ancient work. However, there is now a new wave of scholarship that takes into consideration the reading of books in line with the different margins, or frames, and the structures (de-)constructed by them. A salient feature of late antique poetry is the presence of the paratextual. For example, the prefaces of Ausonius, Claudian, Avianus, Sidonius Apollinaris, and Venantius Fortunatus are studied in their own right by the contributors, who present new understandings and interpretations of the aims of these late antique writers. In keeping with its subject matter, this volume presents a multitude of approaches intended not only to look at, but rather to read and take seriously the paratextual material. The result is a reframing of our appreciation of the marginal matter, which has up until this point been overlooked.

Reviews

The papers assembled here advance scholarship on many aspects of the paratexts that survive around the poetry of Late Antiquity, as these contributions show that professions of simplicity and rusticity continue to trip up modern readers who are all too ready to ignore the contributions of Late Antiquity. -- Aaron Pelttari, Senior Lecturer of Latin Literature, University of Edinburgh, UK

Author Bio

Christian Guerra is a Research Assistant in Classics at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Markus Kersten is a Research Assistant in Classics at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Ann-Kathrin Sthle is a PhD candidate in Classics at the University of Basel, Switzerland.