Joseph Heller's Catch-22 has been interpreted from many different vantage points in the nearly fifty years since it was first published. One approach that has not been effectively used has been to consider the influence of Homer's Iliad on Heller's novel. From teaching a Humanities seminar in war literature some years ago I had become convinced that this Homeric influence existed and I wrote to the late Mr. Heller to see if he would confirm this impression of mine. In a letter which I received from him in 1994 he stated that he had been thinking about the Iliad all of the time he was writing Catch-22 but wanted to avoid obvious comparisons. He confirmed to me his interest in the Iliad in personal conversations I had the privilege to have with him in 1997. In an interview which Mr. Heller had with the journal Contemporary Literature in 1998, he was asked "Were you thinking of Homer's ending when you wrote the conclusion to Catch-22?" He replied, "Very much so." This study offers a strong argument for an original interpretation of the intriguing relationship between Catch-22 and the Iliad.

Although the Iliad has a history dating back more than three thousand years, it remains a riveting and insightful study of universal themes relating to the human condition. This study focuses on three interconnecting subjects: the relationship of human beings to the external forces-the gods-which are operative in the universe; the concept of heroism in war and beyond war which fulfills the human aspiration for meaning in existence; and the process of emotional, intellectual, and psychological evolution by which the poem's hero, Achilles, evolves from a state of narcissistic indifference to the fate of other human beings to the capacity to demonstrate compassion to those who have been his most hated enemies.

Aristotle and the Arc of Tragedy is the latest of Leon Golden’s books to connect Ancient Greece to modern culture. In a world facing many pressing issues Classics professor Golden wants to champion the values and achievements of Classical Civilization. He asserts that Homeric Epic and Greek Tragedy are as relevant today as they were millennia ago because they are riveting and insightful studies of the human condition. Their universality grants them a contemporary relevance despite the passage of time and changes in custom and taste. In one of his previous books, Understanding the Iliad, Golden illuminated the relevance of The Iliad for modern readers. The Bryn Mawr Classical Review praised Understanding the Iliad because it, “achieves what it sets out to accomplish: to provide an interpretation of the Iliad that emphasizes its didactic aspects, its ability to improve its readers by presenting the spectacle of the evolution of a flawed warrior consumed by destructive anger to a legitimate hero who transcends his narcissism and grandiosity and reaches out to others and by doing so heals his own aching soul in the process.” Golden, making use of correspondence and personal contact with Joseph Heller, himself, argues convincingly in Achilles and Yossarian that Homer’s The Iliad exerted a profound influence over Heller as he wrote his modern classic, Catch-22. A Kirkus review acclaims Achilles and Yossarian in these words: “Golden combines impressive erudition with a sharp critical eye and a lucid prose style that laymen will find accessible and engaging. The result is an original and persuasive work of literary scholarship that finds much more than mere war stories in these classics.”

Joseph Heller's Catch-22 has been interpreted from many different vantage points in the nearly fifty years since it was first published. One approach that has not been effectively used has been to consider the influence of Homer's Iliad on Heller's novel. From teaching a Humanities seminar in war literature some years ago I had become convinced that this Homeric influence existed and I wrote to the late Mr. Heller to see if he would confirm this impression of mine. In a letter which I received from him in 1994 he stated that he had been thinking about the Iliad all of the time he was writing Catch-22 but wanted to avoid obvious comparisons. He confirmed to me his interest in the Iliad in personal conversations I had the privilege to have with him in 1997. In an interview which Mr. Heller had with the journal Contemporary Literature in 1998, he was asked "Were you thinking of Homer's ending when you wrote the conclusion to Catch-22?" He replied, "Very much so." This study offers a strong argument for an original interpretation of the intriguing relationship between Catch-22 and the Iliad.

Although the Iliad has a history dating back more than three thousand years, it remains a riveting and insightful study of universal themes relating to the human condition. This study focuses on three interconnecting subjects: the relationship of human beings to the external forces - the gods - which are operative in the universe; the concept of heroism in war and beyond war which fulfills the human aspiration for meaning in existence; and the process of emotional, intellectual, and psychological evolution by which the poem's hero, Achilles, evolves from a state of narcissistic indifference to the fate of other human beings to the capacity to demonstrate compassion to those who have been his most hated enemies.

This book analyzes in detail the argument that Aeschylus was a great poet whose views on religious and political thought were naive and primitive. The author cites relevant evidence to discount this theory and identifies Aeschylus as a rationalist and a humanist.
Originally published in 1966.
A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

"The reprint edition will be most welcome to classicists, comparatists, and students of literary theory. No existing translation of the Poetics even approaches the quality and accuracy of Leon Golden's, and O.B. Hardison's accompanying commentary makes the book eminently useful as a text for literary criticism and literature-in-translation courses."--Roy Arthur Swanson, Professor of Classics and Comparative Literature, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee "The Golden-Hardison translation and commentary offer some of the clearest and most persuasive explanations of Aristotle's key terms. I am happy to learn that this text will again be available."--Donald Keesey, Professor of English, San Jose State University This volume combines Leon Golden's highly regarded translation of Aristotle's Poetics and O. B. Hardison's detailed commentary provide a comprehensive account of the principles of the Poetics and of the critical debates they have engendered. Clearly written, highly readable, the volume was designed to meet the needs of students of literature and criticism who are not proficient in Greek, but it has become a standard reference for scholars as well as students.