In my Appetizer presentation, I would like to focus on the portrayal of various Greek mythological figures in Hesiod’s Theogony. When talking about the grotesque––especially within other greek literature in the form of comedies––I think it is interesting to look at how text that borders on religious makes use of grotesque and carnivalesque attributes. I was curious to see how the class interprets the material and the connections I wouldn’t necessarily make myself.
To do this, I plan on handing out an excerpt from the text and speaking for a minute or two before facilitating small group discussions followed by a whole class debrief. I’m hoping this conversation will bring some new perspectives on material that is familiar to many of us––and bring some new ideas for those who have never looked at it.
I think this is a really interesting connection to make! I’ve read a little of the Theogony in Greek and one of the things that stood out to me the most was the visual exaggeration (I forget all of the gods/monsters involved, but everyone has a lot of heads or speaks with a lot of voices). There’s an interesting overlap/interplay between wonder/amazement and fearsome-ness at play– I’d be interested to know your thoughts on how wonder/fear does or doesn’t fit into the carnivalesque, if your thinking has taken you in that direction at all.
I’m excited for this presentation! I’ve never associated religion or religious imagery with the grotesque and carnivalesque so I’m looking forward to seeing the connection between the two 🙂