Do people on this board seriously advice "starting with the Greeks"? Is it really that important an era in literary history that it's particularly helpful to study it before progressing to later works?
As well as that the program in pic related seems quite long and dense and contains several anthologies of works.
I have the same question with respect to philosophy. To what extent is "starting with the Greeks" a meme?
>with respect to philosophy
This is OP here (I have slightly more knowledge of philosophy). Reading the primary texts would be an inefficient use of your time. Reading a textbook or a history of philosophy is probably a better introduction. They'll take less time to read, be more concise, will explain ideas in clearer terms and will stress the important points of each philosopher. They'll also provide relevant criticism of the ideas being presented.
If you want to study philosophy it is essential to start with the (pre-Socratic) Greeks.
They're an easy starting point, in that there isn't a whole hell of a lot of it to read. There are only around 60 works from the period that we have found. It's also the earliest point in human history that the gods are viewed as more or less human. Prior to the Greeks, gods were nothing like man. they were animal headed and to be feared. The Greeks created gods that weren't to be feared. You could laugh at Zeus's exploits as he snuck around on Hera. They were capricious at times, but nothing to hide from. Even Hades is a sympathetic character.
Actually, the first chapter of the first book on the list explains this all pretty well.
honestly just go straight to Christianity and read theologians like St. Augustin and Thomas Aquinas. you'll get to that point of eventually if you're on a quest for truth, so just take the shortcut and save yourself time.
Can't appreciate Aquinas without understanding Aristotle's theory of causation
sure you can. read confessions and you'll see how he started with the greeks, found them easy but he gained much more insight from the bible.
just read the bible and you'll gain way more wisdom on life. I know that's not the most appealing answer but it's true imo
I'm talking about the Greeks' importance to literature rather than philosophy or theology.
I guess the real question that should be asked here, is what are your goals?
Are you reading for Philosophy or Mythology?
The list isn't really intended as a starting point for someone who just wants to read classic fiction.
Then ignore this list. What you want to do is start with early epics. Beowulf, Gilgamesh, and such. Then work through the more popular early English works.
As indicated in the OP and in , I'm talking about literature and literary history.
Yeah, I was typing it as you posted that. Still, the Greeks are some of our earliest literature. You could do worse. Most of the books on the list are not geared towards an understanding of literature,. It's meant as an intro to Mythology, Philosophy and by extension Theology.
Familiarity with the classical tradition, including the Romans, helps you appreciate centuries of literature in all the major languages of western Europe.
Someone who hasn't started their study of literature with the Greeks, hasn't started at all
Plato and Aristotle are important. Skip everyone else.
Do it mang. Do it. Fucking use Metamorphoses or something along with hamilton to learn about mythology though, much much more fun even if you gotta consider the greek/ roman name differences.
Jesus fucking Christ, we have been over this a thousand times. If you are truly interested in literature, stop trying to come up with excuses for skipping foundational texts.
>If you want to study philosophy it is essential to start with the (pre-Socratic) Greeks.
Bullshit, starting with Socrates is fine.
>early epics. Beowulf, Gilgamesh
These were written about 2500 years a part. You see them as both "early" because they are in the past, but there was a lot longer between Beowulf and Gilgamesh than even between Beowulf and the modern day. It's a clear sign of someone with low intelligence when they mentally group everything in the past together like that.
Also what is a "more popular" early English work than Beowolf, the beginning of the English canon and by far most widely read and studied Old English literature?
I'm sorry but it sounds like your trying to give advice on a topic you know nothing about.
>thinking there are shortcuts to the truth
>thinking you'll live long enough to even scratch the surface
Come talk to me when you've penetrated racial memory you filthy mindling.
Depends on how much plato you plan to read.
Just read Gorgias and you're good if you're a normalfag and not a scholar.
>reading "new historians" who just write about what the old historians already said
this is the equivalent of buying fruit from those homeless people who sell marked-up fruit on the streets next to grocery stores.
sure, the fruit is more accessible. but trust me when i say the grocery store is worth your time.