Genre in the function of irony: Literary revenge of Michael Psellos

Abstract

The paper deals with the problem of genres and methodological digressions in the sixth book of Michael Psellos’ Chronographia, in the context of contemporary genre theories. Conventional opinions about author’s motives for composing digressions about genre and about the complex argument he leaves for interpretation of his own text will be questioned. The main thesis is that the genre-play within history - primarily the use of drama and encomium - has a role in depicting the ironic portrait of the emperor Constantine IX Monomachos. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 177015]

Keywords

• Michael Psellos
• Constantine IX Monomachos
• genre
• irony
• horizon of expectations
• history
• drama
• rhetoric