Celestial Crusades and Wars in Heaven (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9783639059502)

This work examines two examples of biblical epic literature: Antonino Alfano's Battaglia celeste (1568) and Erasmus of Valvasone's Angeleida (1590), situating their works and this genre within their ancient, medieval, and early modern context. While these two biblical epics have drawn only scant attention, limited mostly to literary circles, the biblical epic genre bears out the influence of such classical masterpieces as Homer's Iliad and Virgil's Aeneid. At the same time, readers will undoubledly discover these two biblical epic's relationship to, and likely influence on John Milton's masterpiece Paradise Lost. Furthermore, Angeleida and Battaglia celeste exemplify the biblical epic genre in their intent to educate and entertain. Likewise, both works develop the primordial and mythical battle between the archangel Michael and Lucifer to explore the timeless theme of conflict between good and evil, virtue and sin, while elucidating and reflecting the political and religious realities of the authors' rapidly changing world in Italy's post-Tridentine complex historical time.

Author: Silvia Giovanardi Byer
ISBN-10: 3639059506
ISBN-13: 9783639059502
Publisher: VDM Verlag Dr. Mueller E.K.
Language: English
Published: 08/01/2008
Pages: 128
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.40lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.27d