Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Epic Nature of Blood Meridian
I have to say that one of the things that has struck me most about Blood Meridian is the epic quality of the narrative. The long descriptive scenes of the the countryside, as well as the striking similes and metaphors are worthy of the Homeric and Virgilian epics. Likewise, it seems as if some of the "minor" characters truly come to life on their deathbeds ... a device Homer frequently employed in the Iliad. Blood Meridian encompasses many of the overarching themes of the ancient epic -- it is simultaneously a tale of war, travel, loss and discovery. What I haven't figured out yet is who is the hero of our tale. Any nominees?
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1 comment:
I don't know about any 'heroes' per sé but as far as antiheroes, it has those in spades. As Coach Ross said, Toadvine acts, at times, as a moral compass for the tale. This was a brutal, brutal time in our nation's history and morals don't always come into play when you are hunting savages. I feel the savages are tame in comparison to Glanton's boys.
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