Living Classics

Book excerpt: This collection of essays explores the extensive use of Latin and Greek literary texts in a range of recent poetry written in English. It contains both contributions from poets, who include Tony Harrison, Seamus Heaney, and Michael Longley, talking about their uses of classical literature in their own work in lyric poetry and in theatre poetry, and essays from academic experts on the same topics. Living Classics asks why contemporary poets are returning to making versions of and allusions to Greek and Roman literature in their work, and interrogates the parallel interest of modern classical scholars in the contemporary reception of classical texts.