The Embassy, the Ambush, and the Ogre
Greco-Roman Influence in Sanskrit Theater
Abstract
This volume presents a sophisticated and intricate examination of the parallels between Sanskrit and Greco-Roman literature. By means of a philological and literary analysis, Morales-Harley hypothesizes that Greco-Roman literature was known, understood, and recreated in India. Moreover, it is argued that the techniques for adapting epic into theater could have been Greco-Roman influences in India, and that some of the elements adapted within the literary motifs (specifically the motifs of the embassy, the ambush, and the ogre) could have been Greco-Roman borrowings by Sanskrit authors. This book draws on a wide variety of sources, including Iliad, Phoenix, Rhesus and Cyclops (Greco-Roman) as well as Mahābhārata, The Embassy, The Five Nights and The Middle One (Sanskrit). The result is a well-supported argument which presents us with the possibility of cultural exchange between the Greco-Roman world and India – a possibility which, though hypothetical, is worth acknowledging. Due to its comparative nature, this volume will appeal to both Indologists and Classicists, including Mahābhārata scholars, Sanskrit theater scholars, and those interested in comparative work with Sanskrit literature. It brings an original perspective to the field, and provides inspiration for new lines of research.
Keywords
Sanskrit;Greco-Roman;Epic poetry;Theatre;philological analysis;cultural exchangeDOI
10.11647/OBP.0417ISBN
9781805113614, 9781805113621, 9781805113652, 9781805113645, 9781805113638Publisher
Open Book PublishersPublisher website
https://www.openbookpublishers.com/Publication date and place
Cambridge, 2024Classification
Theatre studies
Ancient Greek and Roman literature
Sanskrit