Articles

Verzen voor vriend en vijand: contexten van elfde-eeuwse Byzantijnse poëzie

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Abstract

This article deals with the social context of 11th-cenrury Byzantine poetry,
especially the poems of Christopher of Mytilene, John Mauropous, and
Michael Psellos. In this period an elite of inrellectuals took power at court,
clearly distinguishing themselves by their common acquaintance with classical
education. Their poetry is considered in this article as a tool of social service
in the dynamics of patronage, and similarly, as a way to enhance the position
of the author in the field of education or communication in service of
the court. In order to uphold these mechanisms of patronage, the illusion had
to be shaped that poetry mattered to gain prestige. The inherently generic
nature of this poetry is illustrated with some imerpretations of poems.

How to Cite:

Bernard, F., (2007) “Verzen voor vriend en vijand: contexten van elfde-eeuwse Byzantijnse poëzie”, Handelingen - Koninklijke Zuid-Nederlandse maatschappij voor taal- en letterkunde en geschiedenis 61, 161-175. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/kzm.v61i0.17425