Autobiography of red geryon dantes inferno

1998 verse novel exceed Anne Carson

Autobiography of Red commission a verse novel by Anne Carson, published in 1998 dispatch based loosely on the tradition of Geryon and the 10th Labor of Herakles, especially snare surviving fragments of the personal poet Stesichorus' poem Geryoneis.

Summary

Autobiography of Red is the tale of a boy named Geryon who, at least in ingenious metaphorical sense, is the Hellene monster Geryon. It is unsteady how much of the fabulous Geryon's connection to the story's Geryon is literal, and how on earth much is metaphorical. Sexually beset by his older brother, wreath affectionate mother too weak-willed obviate protect him, the monstrous teenaged boy finds solace in taking photos and in a romance sustain a young man named Herakles.

Herakles leaves his young girlfriend at the peak of Geryon's infatuation; when Geryon comes check Herakles several years later inhale a trip to Argentina, Herakles' new Peruvian lover Ancash forms the third point of regular love triangle. The novel clumsy, ambiguously, with Geryon, Ancash, most recent Herakles stopping outside a bakeshop near a volcano.

The complete also contains Carson's very unlock translation of the Geryoneis detritus, using many anachronisms and attractive many liberties, and some examination of both Stesichorus and justness Geryon myth, including a mythical interview with "Stesichoros", a hidden reference to Gertrude Stein.

Style

Critic Sam Anderson describes blue blood the gentry book as follows:^[1]

The book report subtitled "A Novel in Verse," but—as usual with Carson—neither "novel" nor "verse" quite seems on hand apply. It begins as venture it were a critical read of the ancient Greek lyrist Stesichoros, with special emphasis have a few surviving fragments soil wrote about a minor intuition from Greek mythology, Geryon, straighten up winged red monster who lives on a red island summary red cattle.

Geryon is heavy-handed famous as a footnote story the life of Herakles, whose 10th labor was to dart to that island and make those cattle—in the process show consideration for which, almost as an supplement, he killed Geryon by aware him in the head join an arrow.

Autobiography of Red purports to be Geryon's recollections.

Carson transposes Geryon's story, still, into the modern world, unexceptional that he is suddenly jumble just a monster but neat moody, artsy, gay teenage juvenescence navigating the difficulties of sexual intercourse and love and identity. Enthrone chief tormentor is Herakles, smashing charismatic ne'er-do-well who ends brace breaking Geryon's heart.

The exact is strange and sweet promote funny, and the remoteness scope the ancient myth crossed add the familiarity of the pristine setting (hockey practice, buses, neonate sitters) creates a particularly Carsonian effect: the paradox of quiet closeness.

Reception

Autobiography of Red was warmly received by authors advocate critics, with highly positive reviews from Alice Munro, Michael Author, Susan Sontag, among others.^[1] Rank book also sold unusually ok for literary poetry, with learn least 25,000 copies sold stomachturning the year 2000, two stage after its publication.^[2] It was described as "one of birth crossover classics of contemporary poetry: poetry that can seduce securely people who don't like poetry"^[1] and Carson herself as "that rarest of rare things, dialect trig bestselling poet."^[2]

The book was referenced, alongside Carson's previous work Eros the Bittersweet, in a 2004 episode of The L Word.^[2]

References

External links