The First Modern Novel?, 16 Oct 2007
I originally purchased this book because it is touted as being the first modern novel. I wanted to see how the novel had progressed through the intervening years, and was quite surprised. W S Merwin's translation is excellent and the story is really good. Firstly, this isn't a novel, but a novella and you can definitely see how important it is to the whole style of the modern novel.

First published in 1554 it was immediately banned by the Spanish government and the Inquisition, with the government soon relenting. It was widely printed and translated throughout Europe. The story shows as a definite pre-cursor to Tom Jones and Huckleberry Finn.

The tale is relatively simple; the anti-hero Lazaro gives us a short recounting of his life from childhood to a proper job and marriage. This was the beginnig of the picaresque genre, and lots of rogues are met on the way. Quite plainly a satire on the hypocrisy then prevalent it is also an indictment of Church and State. This book is full of comedy, including slapstick which will make you want to laugh out loud at times. What I really like is the fact that there is always a sense of optimism running through the tale, stopping it becoming bleak or boring.

So, how has the novel progressed since this was first published? To be honest, not that much. The author obviously knew what people like to hear about and shows a good level of sophistication. If you like reading classic tales, comedy or are just looking for something different you will love this book.

Was Lazaro the Arthur Daley/ Del Boy of his century? You decide.

The First Modern Novel?, 16 Oct 2007
I originally purchased this book because it is touted as being the first modern novel. I wanted to see how the novel had progressed through the intervening years, and was quite surprised. W S Merwin's translation is excellent and the story is really good. Firstly, this isn't a novel, but a novella and you can definitely see how important it is to the whole style of the modern novel.

First published in 1554 it was immediately banned by the Spanish government and the Inquisition, with the government soon relenting. It was widely printed and translated throughout Europe. The story shows as a definite pre-cursor to Tom Jones and Huckleberry Finn.

The tale is relatively simple; the anti-hero Lazaro gives us a short recounting of his life from childhood to a proper job and marriage. This was the beginnig of the picaresque genre, and lots of rogues are met on the way. Quite plainly a satire on the hypocrisy then prevalent it is also an indictment of Church and State. This book is full of comedy, including slapstick which will make you want to laugh out loud at times. What I really like is the fact that there is always a sense of optimism running through the tale, stopping it becoming bleak or boring.

So, how has the novel progressed since this was first published? To be honest, not that much. The author obviously knew what people like to hear about and shows a good level of sophistication. If you like reading classic tales, comedy or are just looking for something different you will love this book.

Was Lazaro the Arthur Daley/ Del Boy of his century? You decide.

Euripides has Agamemnon and Achilles clash before Troy, 04 Sep 2003
"Iphigenia at Aulis" was the last play written by Euripides and represents his most cynical depiction of the mythological heroes. The subject is the sacrifice of Iphigenia, daughter of King Agamemnon, is order to appease the goddess Artemis, so that the Achaen fleet can have fair winds to sail to Troy and bring back Helen. I have used this play as part of large unit on the Trojan War right before proceding to Homer's epic poem the "Iliad." Not only does the play come at that point in terms of the chronology of the war, but it clearly foreshadows the initial confrontation in the "Iliad" between Agamemnon and Achilles over Briseis of the lovely arms. Euripides invests the beginning of Homer's saga with painful irony as Agamemnon rejects the pleas of Briseis's father; after all, has the Achean leader really forgotten the pain of sacrificing his daughter ten years earlier? In Euripides's play it becomes clear that Agamemnon does not care for his daughter; she is but a bargaining chip in his ploy for power. As her father and ruler Agamemnon could simply order his daughter to come to Aulis, but instead he concocts a fake marriage to Achilles, the most eligible of the young Achean heroes. Of course this brings not only Iphigenia, but her mother Clytemnestra, which allows Euripides to bring into play the murder of Agamemnon by his wife when he returns from the Trojan War. When Achilles finds out he has been a pawn in this deadly little game he is incensed, but in the end he turns out to be as foolish and as wicked as the rest of the characters. All of the sympathy goes towards Iphigenia, the only true hero in the drama since she alone acts selflessly. Any one teaching the "Iliad" should at least provide the gist of "Iphigenia at Aulis" as background material, along with the story of the judgment of Paris. The supplementary material talks about the play's meaning in the context of the Peloponnesian War, so there are other contexts in which Euripides's play is of interest.

The First Modern Novel?, 16 Oct 2007
I originally purchased this book because it is touted as being the first modern novel. I wanted to see how the novel had progressed through the intervening years, and was quite surprised. W S Merwin's translation is excellent and the story is really good. Firstly, this isn't a novel, but a novella and you can definitely see how important it is to the whole style of the modern novel.

First published in 1554 it was immediately banned by the Spanish government and the Inquisition, with the government soon relenting. It was widely printed and translated throughout Europe. The story shows as a definite pre-cursor to Tom Jones and Huckleberry Finn.

The tale is relatively simple; the anti-hero Lazaro gives us a short recounting of his life from childhood to a proper job and marriage. This was the beginnig of the picaresque genre, and lots of rogues are met on the way. Quite plainly a satire on the hypocrisy then prevalent it is also an indictment of Church and State. This book is full of comedy, including slapstick which will make you want to laugh out loud at times. What I really like is the fact that there is always a sense of optimism running through the tale, stopping it becoming bleak or boring.

So, how has the novel progressed since this was first published? To be honest, not that much. The author obviously knew what people like to hear about and shows a good level of sophistication. If you like reading classic tales, comedy or are just looking for something different you will love this book.

Was Lazaro the Arthur Daley/ Del Boy of his century? You decide.

Euripides has Agamemnon and Achilles clash before Troy, 04 Sep 2003
"Iphigenia at Aulis" was the last play written by Euripides and represents his most cynical depiction of the mythological heroes. The subject is the sacrifice of Iphigenia, daughter of King Agamemnon, is order to appease the goddess Artemis, so that the Achaen fleet can have fair winds to sail to Troy and bring back Helen. I have used this play as part of large unit on the Trojan War right before proceding to Homer's epic poem the "Iliad." Not only does the play come at that point in terms of the chronology of the war, but it clearly foreshadows the initial confrontation in the "Iliad" between Agamemnon and Achilles over Briseis of the lovely arms. Euripides invests the beginning of Homer's saga with painful irony as Agamemnon rejects the pleas of Briseis's father; after all, has the Achean leader really forgotten the pain of sacrificing his daughter ten years earlier? In Euripides's play it becomes clear that Agamemnon does not care for his daughter; she is but a bargaining chip in his ploy for power. As her father and ruler Agamemnon could simply order his daughter to come to Aulis, but instead he concocts a fake marriage to Achilles, the most eligible of the young Achean heroes. Of course this brings not only Iphigenia, but her mother Clytemnestra, which allows Euripides to bring into play the murder of Agamemnon by his wife when he returns from the Trojan War. When Achilles finds out he has been a pawn in this deadly little game he is incensed, but in the end he turns out to be as foolish and as wicked as the rest of the characters. All of the sympathy goes towards Iphigenia, the only true hero in the drama since she alone acts selflessly. Any one teaching the "Iliad" should at least provide the gist of "Iphigenia at Aulis" as background material, along with the story of the judgment of Paris. The supplementary material talks about the play's meaning in the context of the Peloponnesian War, so there are other contexts in which Euripides's play is of interest.

Wonderful head and heart twister, 15 Oct 2008
It's small and cheap enough for any literate person to afford and enjoy. Get it. You won't regret it. This is bilingual, so it's great if you're learning how to write aphoristic Spanish. For the rest of us, the twists and under-the-belly perspective will work its seeping magic on your thinking. Enjoy!