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The Ancient Emotion of Disgust

Online ISBN:
9780190604134
Print ISBN:
9780190604110
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Book

The Ancient Emotion of Disgust

Published online:
19 January 2017
Published in print:
24 November 2016
Online ISBN:
9780190604134
Print ISBN:
9780190604110
Publisher:
Oxford University Press

Abstract

Ancient emotions have only recently received scholarly analysis. Disgust has experienced relative neglect even now because of social and academic disinclination to study something in which humans take no pride—however essential to survival the primary emotion may be. Yet, the emotion, both a reflexive response to vile substances (“primary disgust”) and a powerful mechanism of social and moral exclusion (“moral disgust”), is salient in ancient literature and art. The study of ancient disgust is incorporated in a bourgeoning literature concerning slander, the aesthetics of ugliness, and the construction of social hierarchies or indeed the marginalization of social outcasts. Scholars from the United States and Europe have contributed fourteen essays here that range over diverse Greek historical and literary topics, such as disgust in the Hippocratic corpus, in classical Attic comedy, tragedy, and oratory, as well as Hellenistic learned poetry and Aesop. Roman historical and literary topics include the disgust root pig-, fastidium in Livy, witches, attitudes toward eunuch priests, theatrical professionals’ reputation, and disgust in the Latin novel. An introduction examines ancient concepts and images and modern political applications of this violent but necessary emotion. The book will interest scholars and students in history, literature, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, and sociology, and anyone attracted to emotion research, especially the so-called negative emotions.

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