Ésope, ou le portrait d’un anti-héros ?

In the Life of Aesop the protagonist has something of an anti-hero because of his ugliness; he is afflicted with physical defects that ancient physiognomonics used to link with cowardice, intemperance, and the like, and everyone feels offended when seeing him for the...

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Main Author: Corinne Jouanno
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Presses universitaires de Caen 2003-12-01
Series:Kentron
Online Access:http://journals.openedition.org/kentron/1848
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author Corinne Jouanno
author_facet Corinne Jouanno
author_sort Corinne Jouanno
collection DOAJ
description In the Life of Aesop the protagonist has something of an anti-hero because of his ugliness; he is afflicted with physical defects that ancient physiognomonics used to link with cowardice, intemperance, and the like, and everyone feels offended when seeing him for the first time. But in spite of his appalling look, Aesop is endowed with extraordinary intellectual gifts, being full of mêtis and eloquence, and this very contrast between appearance and reality lies at the core of the narrative. It is tempting to see the protagonist of the Life as a cultural blame figure fighting against the aristocratic ideal of kalokagathia; but being portrayed at one and the same time as a victim and as a sacral being, Aesop is also a typical scapegoat – hence his final transformation into a cult hero.
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spelling doaj.art-74d508c5206c4c2fa24feb36f2cd868a2022-12-22T03:56:10ZfraPresses universitaires de CaenKentron0765-05902264-14592003-12-0119516910.4000/kentron.1848Ésope, ou le portrait d’un anti-héros ?Corinne JouannoIn the Life of Aesop the protagonist has something of an anti-hero because of his ugliness; he is afflicted with physical defects that ancient physiognomonics used to link with cowardice, intemperance, and the like, and everyone feels offended when seeing him for the first time. But in spite of his appalling look, Aesop is endowed with extraordinary intellectual gifts, being full of mêtis and eloquence, and this very contrast between appearance and reality lies at the core of the narrative. It is tempting to see the protagonist of the Life as a cultural blame figure fighting against the aristocratic ideal of kalokagathia; but being portrayed at one and the same time as a victim and as a sacral being, Aesop is also a typical scapegoat – hence his final transformation into a cult hero.http://journals.openedition.org/kentron/1848
spellingShingle Corinne Jouanno
Ésope, ou le portrait d’un anti-héros ?
Kentron
title Ésope, ou le portrait d’un anti-héros ?
title_full Ésope, ou le portrait d’un anti-héros ?
title_fullStr Ésope, ou le portrait d’un anti-héros ?
title_full_unstemmed Ésope, ou le portrait d’un anti-héros ?
title_short Ésope, ou le portrait d’un anti-héros ?
title_sort esope ou le portrait d un anti heros
url http://journals.openedition.org/kentron/1848
work_keys_str_mv AT corinnejouanno esopeouleportraitdunantiheros