The mask of apollo is about nikeratos, an actor in the fourth century bc, who becomes a friend of platos and sees close up the exciting events. Mary renaults honest and sympathetic treatment of homosexual characters as complex beings rather than as sad, perverted, campy figures provoked outrage. As i made my way through the book it quickly became apparent that this wasnt going to be about boring philosophical theories, but was an autobiographical look into the life of a flawed and in some ways tragic human being. The mask of apollo is the life of an athenian actor during the time of plato. With an active marketplace of over 175 million items, use the alibris advanced search page to find any item you are looking for through the advanced search, you can find items by searching specific terms such as title, artist, song title, genre, etc or you can narrow your focus using our amazing set of criteria parameters. Most tyrants on seizing power start off by murdering the aristocracy. The charioteer by mary renault, 1959, pantheon edition, in english the charioteer. A search query can be a title of the book, a name of the author, isbn or anything else. Discussion of themes and motifs in mary renaults fire from heaven. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. It was there that she met her lifelong partner, fellow nurse julie mullard.
Greece, the mask of apollo is narrated by nikeratos, a tragic actor who takes with him on all his travels a gold mask of apollo, a relic of the theaters golden age, which is now past. Report mary renault greece 5 mask of apollo your name. The mask of apollo book by mary renault thriftbooks. Renault starts with theseus early years, showing how the mystery of. The book tells the story of laurie odell, a sensitive young man who falls in love first with the. The mask of apollo mary renault, return to night mary renault, vorkosigan saga lois mcmaster bujold, harry potter j. Each man in his life honors, and imitates as well as he can, that god to whose choir he belonged. The mask of apollo mary renault works archive of our own.
This novel, like renaults other historical novels, shows how people today are both different from and similar to the people who lived. Rowling, short stories saki, sherlock tv, gondal bronte children, lord peter wimsey dorothy l. Mary renaults the charioteer is an antidote to shame. The remnants of incense burnt earlier still scented the room. The ledge in front of pan held a shallow libation bowl. Essays and criticism on mary renaults fire from heaven critical essays. At first his mascot, the mask gradually becomes his conscience, and he refers to. With a grand theme as her topic, one where the historical evidence is enough to inspire the imagination but not so voluminous as to inhibit creativity, renault tells a compelling and moving story. It specifically concerns dramatic political events in sicily as seen through his eyes. Nikeratos looked away to notice thettalos contemplating the image of apollo. The protagonist in the mask of apollo is an actor about 20 years younger than plato, whom he meets and whose school of. Named a notable book of the year by the new york times. The mask of apollo, for example, explores the nature of virtue, the role of art in life, the balance between reason and emotion, and other themes that will be important as long as human nature remains the same. I read this book all over the place yesterday and today, and i did it at my parents house where you may have heard there is also a tiny little puppy who likes to snuggle.
If you own the to this book and it is wrongfully on our website, we offer a simple dmca procedure to remove your content from our site. Mary renault born mary challans, 4 september 1905 december 1983 was an english writer most famous for her historical novels set in ancient greece. The bull from the sea is the story of theseus, king of athens, but also mary renaults brilliant historical reconstruction of ancient greek politics. This novel of ancient greece, featuring plato and a young actor, by the bestselling author of the novels of alexander the great, is a shining light hilary mantel, man booker awardwinning author of wolf hall and bring up the bodies. Mary renault greece 5 mask of apollo pdf free download. A superb biography of an exceptional novelist new yorker. Shes also a very good historian from what i understand. Buy a cheap copy of the mask of apollo book by mary renault. Born in london as eileen mary challans in 1905 and educated at the university of oxford, mary renault trained as a nurse at oxfords radcliffe infirmary. The mary renault prize is a classical reception essay prize for school or college sixth form pupils, awarded by the principal and fellows of st hughs college, and funded by the royalties from mary renaults novels. Explore books by mary renault with our selection at. Publication date 1966 topics actors publisher new york, pantheon books collection.
What impressed me so much there was how she took a figure out of myth and grounded him historically. The mask of apollo by mary renault overdrive rakuten. And i have never ever read the praise singer, and until today i had never read the mask of apollo. In one play, kadmos by sophokles the younger, nikeratos is required to wear an old mask of apollo as part of. Mary renaults trilogy of novels about alexander the great fire from heaven, the persian boy and funeral games is one of my favourite works of historical fiction. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Mary renault is a fine writersomething of a rarity in historical fiction. Mary renaults courageous and confrontational war novel the charioteer is inextricably linked with the fight for gay equality. In this ambitious, ingenious narrative, celebrated historical novelist mary renault take legendary hero theseus and spins his myth into a fastpaced and exciting story. Throughout his reign, theseus is torn between his genius for kingship and his truant craving for adventure. In the fourth century bc, nikeratos is an actor, a devotee of plato, and a friend of dion of syracuse.
Mary renault is a genius at creating historical novels of ancient greece, whose lively protagonists have virtues mitigated by still lovable flaws. The book is about socrates after all, one of the most, if not the most wellknown philosopher in the world. Renault, mary greece 02 theseus 02 the bull from the sea. The persian boy by mary renault, 1972, pantheon books edition, in english. In addition to vivid fictional portrayals of theseus, socrates, plato, and alexander the great, she wrote a nonfiction biography of alexander. The adventures of nikeratos in the mask of apollo by mary. Mary renault is currently considered a single author. The mask of apollo revolves around the adventures of nikeratos, a young actor who travels the countryside of ancient greece and sicily while performing in various plays. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this fire from heaven study guide and get.
After that i quickly gobbled up all of renaults works of historical fiction set in ancient greece. This the story of nikeratos, an actor in ancient greece who, in addition to relating tales of his professional life, also describes his friendships with some of the big names of the time. For simon russell beale it provided guidance and comfort in a hostile. The mask of apollo is the story of an actor from birth who, as he climbs his way to the top of the theatrical world of c.