The Semiotics of Caesar Augustus by Elina Pyy - Bookswagon
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Home > Reference > Interdisciplinary studies > Semiotics / semiology > The Semiotics of Caesar Augustus: (Bloomsbury Advances in Semiotics)
The Semiotics of Caesar Augustus: (Bloomsbury Advances in Semiotics)

The Semiotics of Caesar Augustus: (Bloomsbury Advances in Semiotics)


     0     
5
4
3
2
1



Out of Stock


Notify me when this book is in stock
X
About the Book

Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, better known as Augustus, was the first Roman emperor and is one of the most iconic figures in world history. Two thousand years after his death, Augustus remains a strong presence in modern culture. The Semiotics of Caesar Augustus examines the meanings and significances of Augustus in Western literary and popular culture, from the 1960s until the turn of the millennium. Drawing on the theoretical background of semiotics and classical reception studies, Elina Pyy investigates the representation of Augustus in the postmodern novels of Kurt Vonnegut and Christoph Ransmayr, as well as in the genre of historical fiction, and in screen representations from both sides of the Atlantic. Scrutinizing what Caesar Augustus stood for in the postmodern world, and the main factors that influenced (and still influence) the modern reader's interpretation of him, this book is grounded on the premise that the past, being a system of signs based on our culturally shared understanding of them, is continuously created and reconstructed by the modern audience. Arguing that the 'many faces of the emperor' can be considered to be reactions to contemporary cultural, socio-political or emotional needs, The Semiotics of Caesar Augustus shows how his character was recurrently utilized to explain and understand the ways in which the discourses of power, liberty, oppression and humanity operated in the postmodern world.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction: The Man, the Myth, the Legend 2. The many faces of Augustus: Appropriations of the Emperor Through the Ages 3. Pater patriae, pax Romana: Augustus and 'the End of History' 4. Augustus the Tyrant: Ancient History, Modern Anxieties 5. Comparative Voices: Augustus in Historical Fiction 6. Comparative Voices II: Augustus on Screen 7. Conclusion Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Elina Pyy is a researcher in the Department of Philosophy, History, Culture and Art Studies, University of Helsinki, Finland.

Review :
Successfully interweaves post-modernism with semiotics and reception theory to create a compelling narrative of the role of Augustus in the twentieth- century context … Throughout her book, Pyy has linked the varied interpretations of Augustus that inform his portrayal to the ambiguous nature of his representation in the ancient sources … The analysis is detailed and convincing. The volume establishes the role of the emperor in the postmodern discourse of power, politics, and leadership, highlighting his continuing significance in the modern imagination. It is an insightful work for scholars and advanced students alike, providing inspiration for a deeper analysis of the representation of Augustus Caesar, wherever he might be found. Augustus meets semiotics. In this original and engaging book Elina Pyy juxtaposes the various representations of Augustus in the ancient sources with his various incarnations in modern literature and popular culture. Her in-depth and theoretically informed discussion casts new light on the works of literature and films she has chosen to analyse and demonstrates the value of her approach. Written in a lively and reader-friendly style the book will be of interest not only to classicists and semioticians but also to those who are more generally interested in the reception of Classical Antiquity. Implicitly challenging specialists from different disciplines, avid readers of historic novels, enthusiasts of the use of history on the big and small screen, analysts in the field of communication, interpreters of political language, Pyy's volume highlights various and more recent “Metamorphoses” of a key figure in ancient history, destined to remain immortal in the western collective imagination, as well as in its cultural memory. The enigmatic figure of Caesar Augustus has been mobilized politically and ideologically for over 2000 years, and particularly in times of turmoil. This book provides a symptomatic reading of different portrayals of Augustus in a variety of examples of 20th century novels, historical fiction, film and television by using an approach grounded in classical historical sources and scholarship on the one hand, and a thematic reception-based interpretation of Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr Rosewater on the other. In the case of Augustus, as for many other iconic figures, image triumphs over reality.


Best Sellers


Product Details
  • ISBN-13: 9781474277259
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
  • Publisher Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic
  • Language: English
  • Series Title: Bloomsbury Advances in Semiotics
  • ISBN-10: 147427725X
  • Publisher Date: 22 Feb 2018
  • Binding: Digital (delivered electronically)
  • No of Pages: 224


Similar Products

Add Photo
Add Photo

Customer Reviews

REVIEWS      0     
Click Here To Be The First to Review this Product
The Semiotics of Caesar Augustus: (Bloomsbury Advances in Semiotics)
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC -
The Semiotics of Caesar Augustus: (Bloomsbury Advances in Semiotics)
Writing guidlines
We want to publish your review, so please:
  • keep your review on the product. Review's that defame author's character will be rejected.
  • Keep your review focused on the product.
  • Avoid writing about customer service. contact us instead if you have issue requiring immediate attention.
  • Refrain from mentioning competitors or the specific price you paid for the product.
  • Do not include any personally identifiable information, such as full names.

The Semiotics of Caesar Augustus: (Bloomsbury Advances in Semiotics)

Required fields are marked with *

Review Title*
Review
    Add Photo Add up to 6 photos
    Would you recommend this product to a friend?
    Tag this Book Read more
    Does your review contain spoilers?
    What type of reader best describes you?
    I agree to the terms & conditions
    You may receive emails regarding this submission. Any emails will include the ability to opt-out of future communications.

    CUSTOMER RATINGS AND REVIEWS AND QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TERMS OF USE

    These Terms of Use govern your conduct associated with the Customer Ratings and Reviews and/or Questions and Answers service offered by Bookswagon (the "CRR Service").


    By submitting any content to Bookswagon, you guarantee that:
    • You are the sole author and owner of the intellectual property rights in the content;
    • All "moral rights" that you may have in such content have been voluntarily waived by you;
    • All content that you post is accurate;
    • You are at least 13 years old;
    • Use of the content you supply does not violate these Terms of Use and will not cause injury to any person or entity.
    You further agree that you may not submit any content:
    • That is known by you to be false, inaccurate or misleading;
    • That infringes any third party's copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret or other proprietary rights or rights of publicity or privacy;
    • That violates any law, statute, ordinance or regulation (including, but not limited to, those governing, consumer protection, unfair competition, anti-discrimination or false advertising);
    • That is, or may reasonably be considered to be, defamatory, libelous, hateful, racially or religiously biased or offensive, unlawfully threatening or unlawfully harassing to any individual, partnership or corporation;
    • For which you were compensated or granted any consideration by any unapproved third party;
    • That includes any information that references other websites, addresses, email addresses, contact information or phone numbers;
    • That contains any computer viruses, worms or other potentially damaging computer programs or files.
    You agree to indemnify and hold Bookswagon (and its officers, directors, agents, subsidiaries, joint ventures, employees and third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.), harmless from all claims, demands, and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, known and unknown including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of a breach of your representations and warranties set forth above, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third party.


    For any content that you submit, you grant Bookswagon a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, transferable right and license to use, copy, modify, delete in its entirety, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from and/or sell, transfer, and/or distribute such content and/or incorporate such content into any form, medium or technology throughout the world without compensation to you. Additionally,  Bookswagon may transfer or share any personal information that you submit with its third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc. in accordance with  Privacy Policy


    All content that you submit may be used at Bookswagon's sole discretion. Bookswagon reserves the right to change, condense, withhold publication, remove or delete any content on Bookswagon's website that Bookswagon deems, in its sole discretion, to violate the content guidelines or any other provision of these Terms of Use.  Bookswagon does not guarantee that you will have any recourse through Bookswagon to edit or delete any content you have submitted. Ratings and written comments are generally posted within two to four business days. However, Bookswagon reserves the right to remove or to refuse to post any submission to the extent authorized by law. You acknowledge that you, not Bookswagon, are responsible for the contents of your submission. None of the content that you submit shall be subject to any obligation of confidence on the part of Bookswagon, its agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners or third party service providers (including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.)and their respective directors, officers and employees.

    Accept

    Fresh on the Shelf


    Inspired by your browsing history


    Your review has been submitted!

    You've already reviewed this product!