Jean-Pierre Vernant (; January 4, 1914 – January 9, 2007) was a French
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the st ...
and
anthropologist, specialist in
ancient Greece
Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of Classical Antiquity, classical antiquity ( AD 600), th ...
. Influenced by
Claude Lévi-Strauss
Claude Lévi-Strauss (, ; 28 November 1908 – 30 October 2009) was a French anthropologist and ethnologist whose work was key in the development of the theories of structuralism and structural anthropology. He held the chair of Social An ...
, Vernant developed a
structuralist approach to Greek
myth,
tragedy
Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...
, and society which would itself be influential among classical scholars. He was an honorary professor at the
Collège de France
The Collège de France (), formerly known as the ''Collège Royal'' or as the ''Collège impérial'' founded in 1530 by François I, is a higher education and research establishment ('' grand établissement'') in France. It is located in Paris n ...
.
Biography
Born in
Provins
Provins () is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Known for its well-preserved medieval architecture and importance throughout the Middle Ages as an economic center and a host of annu ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, Vernant at first studied
philosophy, receiving his
agrégation in this field in 1937.
A member of the Young Communists (''Jeunes Communistes''), Vernant joined the
French Resistance
The French Resistance (french: La Résistance) was a collection of organisations that fought the German occupation of France during World War II, Nazi occupation of France and the Collaborationism, collaborationist Vichy France, Vichy régim ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
and was a member of ''
Libération-sud'' (founded by
Emmanuel d'Astier). He later commanded the
French Forces of the Interior
The French Forces of the Interior (french: Forces françaises de l'Intérieur) were French resistance fighters in the later stages of World War II. Charles de Gaulle used it as a formal name for the resistance fighters. The change in designation ...
(FFI) in
Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne (; oc, Nauta Garona, ; en, Upper Garonne) is a department in the Occitanie region of Southwestern France. Named after the river Garonne, which flows through the department. Its prefecture and main city is Toulouse, the country' ...
under the pseudonym of "Colonel Berthier." He was a
Companion of the Liberation. After the war, he remained a member of the
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party (french: Parti communiste français, ''PCF'' ; ) is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism. The PCF is a member of the Party of the European Left, and its MEPs sit in the European Un ...
until 1969.
He entered the
Centre national de la recherche scientifique
The French National Centre for Scientific Research (french: link=no, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, CNRS) is the French state research organisation and is the largest fundamental science agency in Europe.
In 2016, it employed 31,63 ...
(CNRS) in 1948 and, under the influence of
Louis Gernet
Louis Gernet (28 November 1882 – 29 January 1962) was a French philologist and sociologist.
Life
A student at the École Normale Supérieure (class of 1902), he received a licentiate in law and agrégation in grammar. In 1917, supported by ...
, turned to the study of ancient Greek anthropology. Ten years later, he became director of studies at the
École des hautes études en sciences sociales
The School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (french: École des hautes études en sciences sociales; EHESS) is a graduate ''grande école'' and '' grand établissement'' in Paris focused on academic research in the social sciences. The ...
(EHESS). In 1971 he was professor in the
University of São Paulo
The University of São Paulo ( pt, Universidade de São Paulo, USP) is a public university in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. It is the largest Brazilian public university and the country's most prestigious educational institution, the bes ...
. This visit was also an act of protest that he made with
François Châtelet against the
brazilian military government (dictatorship).
He was a member of the French sponsorship committee for the
Decade for the Promotion of a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World. He supported the funding organisation ''Non-Violence XXI.''
He was awarded the CNRS gold medal in 1984. In 2002, he received an honorary doctorate at the
University of Crete
The University of Crete (UoC; Greek: Πανεπιστήμιο Κρήτης) is a multi-disciplinary, research-oriented institution in Crete, Greece, located in the cities of Rethymno (official seat) and Heraklion, and one of the country's most aca ...
.
Vernant died a few days after his 93rd birthday in
Sèvres
Sèvres (, ) is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Île-de-France region. The commune, which had a population of 23,251 as of 2018, is known for ...
.
After his death, his name was given to a French highschool in
Sèvres
Sèvres (, ) is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Île-de-France region. The commune, which had a population of 23,251 as of 2018, is known for ...
, le "Lycée Jean-Pierre Vernant".
Influence
The structuralist approach pioneered by Vernant has been influential on a wide range of classical scholars. More specifically, Vernant's reading of the myth of
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning " forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titan god of fire. Prometheus is best known for defying the gods by stealing fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technology, kn ...
was an important influence on philosopher
Bernard Stiegler's book, ''
Technics and Time, 1: The Fault of Epimetheus''.
Criticism
Vernant's approach has been heavily criticized, particularly among Italian philologists, even by those of Marxist tendencies. He has been accused of a fundamentally
ahistorical approach, allegedly going as far as to manipulate his sources by describing them in categories which do not apply (
polysemy and
ambiguity).
Vincenzo Di Benedetto
Vincenzo Di Benedetto (12 January 1934 – 19 or 20 July 2013) was an Italian classical philologist.
Life
Born to the tailor Saverio Di Benedetto and his wife Maria Gaetana (née Santoro) he grew up in Saracena ( Calabria) and acquired a sou ...
, ''La tragedia greca di Jean-Pierre Vernant'', in: ''Belfagor'' 32 (1977), p. 461-468; see also Vincenzo Di Benedetto, ''L'ambiguo nella tragedia greca: una categoria fuorviante'', in: '' Euripide "Medea
In Greek mythology, Medea (; grc, Μήδεια, ''Mēdeia'', perhaps implying "planner / schemer") is the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, a niece of Circe and the granddaughter of the sun god Helios. Medea figures in the myth of Jason an ...
", introd. di V. Di Benedetto, trad. di E. Cerbo'', p. 62-75, Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
1997.
Awards
Honours
* Commander of the
Légion d'honneur
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
* Grand Cross of the
Ordre national du Mérite
The Ordre national du Mérite (; en, National Order of Merit) is a French order of merit with membership awarded by the President of the French Republic, founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. The reason for the order's estab ...
*
Compagnon de la Libération
The Order of Liberation (french: Ordre de la Libération) is a French Order which was awarded to heroes of the Liberation of France during World War II. It is a very high honour, second only after the ''Légion d’Honneur'' (Legion of Honour) ...
*
Croix de Guerre
* Officier of the
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
* Commander of the
Order of the Phoenix (Greece)
The Order of the Phoenix ( el, Τάγμα του Φοίνικος) is an order of Greece, established on 13 May 1926, by the republican government of the Second Hellenic Republic to replace the defunct Royal Order of George I.
The order was ret ...
Awards and prizes
*
Médaille d'or du CNRS, 1984
* Premio di Storia, San Marino, 1991
* Award for Humanistic Studies,
American Academy of Arts & Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and ...
, 1993
Doctor Honoris Causa
*
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...
*
University of Bristol
, mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'')
, established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter
, type ...
*
Masaryk University
Masaryk University (MU) ( cs, Masarykova univerzita; la, Universitas Masarykiana Brunensis) is the second largest university in the Czech Republic, a member of the Compostela Group and the Utrecht Network. Founded in 1919 in Brno as the se ...
of
Brno
*
University of Naples
The University of Naples Federico II ( it, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II) is a public university in Naples, Italy. Founded in 1224, it is the oldest public non-sectarian university in the world, and is now organized into 26 depar ...
*
University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
*
University of Crete
The University of Crete (UoC; Greek: Πανεπιστήμιο Κρήτης) is a multi-disciplinary, research-oriented institution in Crete, Greece, located in the cities of Rethymno (official seat) and Heraklion, and one of the country's most aca ...
(2002)
*
New Bulgarian University
New Bulgarian University ( bg, Нов български университет, also known and abbreviated as НБУ, NBU) is a private university based in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Its campus is in the western district of the city, known ...
(2004)
Other awards
* Associate member of the
Académie royale de Belgique
The Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium (RASAB) is a non-governmental association which promotes and organises science and the arts in Belgium by coordinating the national and international activities of its constituent academies su ...
* Foreign honorary member of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, a ...
* Corresponding Fellow of the
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national academy for the humanities and the social sciences.
It was established in 1902 and received its royal charter in the same year. It is now a fellowship of more than 1,000 leading scholars spa ...
* Honorary Member of the
Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies
The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies, known as the Hellenic Society, was founded in 1879 to advance the study of Greek language, literature, history, art and archaeology in the Ancient, Byzantine and Modern periods. The first Pr ...
* Membre de l'
Academia Europaea
The Academia Europaea is a pan-European Academy of Humanities, Letters, Law, and Sciences.
The Academia was founded in 1988 as a functioning Europe-wide Academy that encompasses all fields of scholarly inquiry. It acts as co-ordinator of Europea ...
Select publications
* ''Les origines de la pensée grecque'' (Paris), 1962 (= ''Origins of Greek Thought'', 1982)
* ''Mythe et pensée chez les Grecs: Etudes de psychologie historique'' (Paris), 1965 (= ''Myth and Thought among the Greeks'', 1983)
* With
Pierre Vidal-Naquet
Pierre Emmanuel Vidal-Naquet (; 23 July 1930 – 29 July 2006) was a French historian who began teaching at the '' École des hautes études en sciences sociales'' (EHESS) in 1969.
Vidal-Naquet was a specialist in the study of Ancient Greece, bu ...
: ''Mythe et tragédie en Grèce ancienne'', 2 vols. (Paris), 1972, 1986 (= ''Tragedy and Myth in Ancient Greece'', 1981; ''Myth and Tragedy in Ancient Greece'', 1988)
* ''Mythe et société en Grèce ancienne'' (Paris), 1974 (= ''Myth and Society in Ancient Greece'', 1978)
* ''Divination et rationalité'', 1974
* With
Marcel Detienne
Marcel Detienne (October 11, 1935 in Liège, Belgium – March 21, 2019 in Nemours, France) was a Belgian historian and specialist in the study of ancient Greece. He was a professor at Johns Hopkins University, where he held the Basil L. Gildersl ...
: ''Les ruses de l'intelligence: La mètis des Grecs'' (Paris), 1974 (= ''Cunning Intelligence in Greek Culture and Society'', 1977)
* ''Religion grecque, religions antiques'' (Paris), 1976
* ''Religion, histoires, raisons'' (Paris), 1979
* With Marcel Detienne: ''La cuisine de sacrifice en pays grec'' (Paris), 1979 (= ''Cuisine of Sacrifice among the Greeks'', 1989)
* With Pierre Vidal-Naquet: ''Travail et esclavage en Grèce ancienne'' (Brussels), 1988
* ''L'individu, la mort, l'amour: soi-même et l'autre en Grèce ancienne'' (Paris), 1989
* ''Mythe et religion en Grèce ancienne'' (Paris), 1990
* ''Figures, idoles, masques'' (Paris), 1990
* With Pierre Vidal-Naquet: ''La Grèce ancienne'', 3 vols. (Paris), 1990–92
* ''Mortals and Immortals: Collected Essays'' (Princeton), 1991
* With Pierre Vidal-Naquet: ''Œdipe et ses mythes'' (Brussels), 1994
* ''Entre mythe et politique'' (Paris), 1996
* With
Jean Bottéro
Jean Bottéro (30 August 1914 – 15 December 2007) was a French historian born in Vallauris. He was a major Assyriologist and a renowned expert on the Ancient Near East. He died in Gif-sur-Yvette.
Biography
He participated with other colleagues c ...
and
Clarisse Herrenschmidt: ''L'orient ancien et nous'' (Paris), 1996.
Ancestor of the West: Writing, Reasoning, and Religion in Mesopotamia, Elam, and Greece', translated by Teresa Lavender Fagan. University of Chicago Press, 2000. .
* With Françoise Frontisi-Ducroux: ''Dans l'œil du miroir'' (Paris), 1997
* ''
L'univers, les dieux, les hommes: récits grecs des origines'' Paris, Le Seuil, 1999 (= ''The Universe, The Gods, and Men: Ancient Greek Myths'', 2001)
* ''La traversée des frontières'' (Paris), 2004
References
External links
''Independent'' obituaryby
Oswyn Murray
Oswyn Murray (born 26 March 1937) is a Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford University and a distinguished classical scholar.
Murray is joint editor with John Boardman and Jasper Griffin of the ''Oxford History of the Classical World''.
Boris Jo ...
Page with biographical information, French languageCitation for Oxford honorary degreeCouncil of Europe pageLinks to online interviews and media presentations by Vernant
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vernant, Jean-Pierre
1914 births
2007 deaths
People from Provins
French Communist Party members
Collège de France faculty
Historians of antiquity
French classical scholars
Lycée Louis-le-Grand alumni
Lycée Carnot alumni
University of São Paulo faculty
Members of Liberation-Sud
Members of Academia Europaea
Companions of the Liberation
French hellenists
French anthropologists
20th-century French historians
School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences faculty
Communist members of the French Resistance
Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France)
Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Corresponding Fellows of the British Academy
Officiers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur
Grand Officers of the Ordre national du Mérite
20th-century anthropologists