Ennui and Alys: Conceptions of Complex Boredom in Plutarch

<p>This thesis addresses the conceptualisation of boredom in Plutarch through a survey of relevant lexical terms, and analysis of the depiction of character in the 'Moralia' and the 'Lives..'. A distinction is made between the temporary tedium of simple boredom, and the persistent and spiritual dissatisfaction of complex boredom. The first chapter is composed of a discussion of the context necessary to understand boredom in an ancient context. It discusses relevant psychological theories for understanding emotion, as well as simple and complex forms of boredom. It also establishes the context for discussing ancient emotions. Depictions of simple and complex boredom in the ancient world prior to the work of Plutarch are summarised and addressed. Similar themes in the works of Seneca, Horace, and Lucretius are also discussed. The second chapter charts the lexical course of words identified by modern scholarship as relating to concepts of boredom. Their occurrence and significance within Plutarch’s oeuvre are discussed. These terms include ἄλυς (boredom), ἀλύω (wandering, to be distraught), ἀκηδία (lassitude), ἄση (surfeit, distress), ἀπληστία (insatiate greed), κόρος (satiety) and πλησμονή (abundance, surfeit). This analysis attempts to identify the underlying semantic field of these terms, and to assess how much these correspond with modern conceptions of boredom. The discussion focusses on the themes of luxury and leisure, revelry, warfare, philosophy, exile, retirement, and dissatisfaction. The third chapter attempts to contextualise the lexical research through the use of case studies in Plutarch’s works. The paired 'Lives of Pyrrhus' and 'Marius' are analysed in terms of the dissatisfaction and insatiable ambitions of their protagonists. The paired 'Lives of Antonius' and 'Demetrius' are discussed in relation to the themes of dissatisfaction, luxurious excess, and the reversal of fortune. The theme of philosophical satisfaction, and the escape from dissatisfaction, are discussed in the context of the 'On Exile' and 'On Tranquility'.</p>

Ennui and Alys: Conceptions of Complex Boredom in Plutarch

<p>This thesis addresses the conceptualisation of boredom in Plutarch through a survey of relevant lexical terms, and analysis of the depiction of character in the 'Moralia' and the 'Lives..'. A distinction is made between the temporary tedium of simple boredom, and the persistent and spiritual dissatisfaction of complex boredom. The first chapter is composed of a discussion of the context necessary to understand boredom in an ancient context. It discusses relevant psychological theories for understanding emotion, as well as simple and complex forms of boredom. It also establishes the context for discussing ancient emotions. Depictions of simple and complex boredom in the ancient world prior to the work of Plutarch are summarised and addressed. Similar themes in the works of Seneca, Horace, and Lucretius are also discussed. The second chapter charts the lexical course of words identified by modern scholarship as relating to concepts of boredom. Their occurrence and significance within Plutarch’s oeuvre are discussed. These terms include ἄλυς (boredom), ἀλύω (wandering, to be distraught), ἀκηδία (lassitude), ἄση (surfeit, distress), ἀπληστία (insatiate greed), κόρος (satiety) and πλησμονή (abundance, surfeit). This analysis attempts to identify the underlying semantic field of these terms, and to assess how much these correspond with modern conceptions of boredom. The discussion focusses on the themes of luxury and leisure, revelry, warfare, philosophy, exile, retirement, and dissatisfaction. The third chapter attempts to contextualise the lexical research through the use of case studies in Plutarch’s works. The paired 'Lives of Pyrrhus' and 'Marius' are analysed in terms of the dissatisfaction and insatiable ambitions of their protagonists. The paired 'Lives of Antonius' and 'Demetrius' are discussed in relation to the themes of dissatisfaction, luxurious excess, and the reversal of fortune. The theme of philosophical satisfaction, and the escape from dissatisfaction, are discussed in the context of the 'On Exile' and 'On Tranquility'.</p>

Physiological constraints and the transition to growth: implications for comparative development

It is a well known fact that economic development and distance to the equator are positively correlated variables in the world today. It is perhaps less well known that as recently as 1500 C.E. it was the other way around. The present paper provides a theory of why the ‘latitude gradient’ changed sign in the course of the last half millennium. In particular, we develop a dynamic model of economic and physiological development in which households decide upon the number and nutrition of their offspring. In this setting we demonstrate that relatively high metabolic costs of fertility, which may have emerged due to positive selection towards greater cold tolerance in locations away from the equator, would work to stifle economic development during pre-industrial times, yet allow for an early onset of sustained growth. As a result, the theory suggests a reversal of fortune whereby economic activity gradually shifts away from the equator in the process of long-term economic development. Our empirical results give supporting evidence for our hypothesis.

A Reversal of Fortune: Problematical Deposit 50, Tikal, Guatemala

The contents, context, and date of Problematical Deposit 50 bear on the origin, function, and meaning of Teotihuacan stylistic traits in the Southern Maya Lowlands. Archaeological data and material culture research appear to support emulation and adaptation by local rulers and elites, while an actual presence of Teotihuacanos is asserted by epigraphy and iconography. PD 50, the partial contents of a probable Early Classic chamber burial, appears to support local emulation, but an extraordinary pottery vessel, nicknamed here the “Arrival Bowl,” implies direct contact. The chronology and archaeological context demonstrate that the appearance of Teotihuacan stylistic traits at Tikal during the later Early Classic period is functionally distinct from the goods distributed over an interregional interaction sphere of much longer duration in which both Central Mexico and the Maya area participated. Furthermore, together with other features at Tikal, PD 50 suggests that adoption of Teotihuacan ideology by Tikal's elite was eventually met with resistance that contributed to the violence at the end of the Early Classic period that is manifested in the archaeological record.

Momma Rose: An Aristotelian heroine in the mother of all musicals

The character of Rose from Gypsy has been compared to tragic characters such as Medea, King Lear and Willy Loman. She has been credited as one of the most psychologically complex characters in musical theatre history and is a role coveted by performers. Equally appalling and compelling, Rose, like characters in ancient Greek tragedies, is an imperfect human struggling to do her best in difficult situations but is ultimately misguided and suffers a tragic reversal of fortune. This article applies dramatic theory from Aristotle’s Poetics and Arthur Miller’s article ‘Tragedy and the common man’ to discover the dramaturgical practices the authors of Gypsy used to structure Rose, a figure from musical comedy, within the theoretical constructs of a tragic heroine.

Reversal of Fortune or Continued Misery? Ulbe Bosma's Making of a Periphery Reviewed

With his latest book, The Making of a Periphery, Ulbe Bosma makes a successful attempt to “decompress history”. Apart from praising his work, I want to offer two critical comments and a suggestion for global comparison. First, I argue that the role of colonialism/imperialism is somewhat downplayed in the book. Second, although I am impressed by the vast body of literature cited, I believe that at several instances the book might have benefited from its arguments being underpinned by more solid empirical quantitative data. Finally, I raise the question how unique the “plantation economies” of Island South East Asia actually were, which also implies a suggestion for further research along the lines of Bosma's impressive monograph.