The Historical Present in the Grottaferrata and Escorial Versions of Digenis Akritis : A Narratological Insight
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2022 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | https://grbs.library.duke.edu/article/view/16695 |
| Keywords | Greek narrative; Byzantine poetry; narratology; historical present tense; Digenis Akritis |
| Description | “Digenis Akritis” well known as the only representative of genuinely Byzantine heroic poetry. This study focuses on the two oldest versions of the poem (Grottaferrata and Escorial) and provides a comparative analysis of their use of the so-called historical present tense, which is a generally neglected topic in the study of Byzantine literature. We distinguish between the diegetic type of the device, which is used in both versions, and the mimetic type which occurs in scenic narrative and is frequently used in the E version. Additionally, we recognize a ‘connective’ function of the diegetic HP used in formulas in the E version. The study of the historical present tense helps us to see more clearly the differences in the overall narrative technique of these two version: G recounts events with a larger degree of distance and abstraction. Its sparse use of the HP corresponds with authoritative written discourse. In E, on the other hand, the abundant use in scenic narratives of HPs with an immersive function provides more detailed, visualizing, and engaging descriptions of events. |
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