The Nature of Alexander (1975) is the only nonfiction work by celebrated novelist
Mary RenaultMary Renault born Mary Challans, was an English writer best known for her historical novels set in Ancient Greece...
(1905-1983).
The book is a biography of King
Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon, popularly known as Alexander the Great , was an Ancient Greek king of Macedon who created one of the largest empires in ancient history...
, ruler of
MacedonMacedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paionia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south...
,
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
and Persia. Renault wrote several novels in which Alexander appears:
The Mask of ApolloThe Mask of Apollo is a historical novel written by Mary Renault. It is set in ancient Greece shortly after the Peloponnesian War. The story involves the world of live theatre and political intrigue in the Mediterranean at the time...
(1966),
Fire From HeavenFire From Heaven is a 1969 historical novel by Mary Renault about the childhood and youth of Alexander the Great. It reportedly was a major inspiration for the Oliver Stone film Alexander.-Plot summary:...
(1969),
The Persian BoyThe Persian Boy is a 1972 historical novel written by Mary Renault and narrated by Bagoas, a young Persian from an aristocratic family who is captured by his father's enemies, castrated, and sold as a slave to the king Darius III, who makes him his favorite...
(1972), and
Funeral GamesFuneral Games is a 1981 historical novel by Mary Renault, dealing with the death of Alexander the Great and its aftermath, the gradual disintegration of his empire...
(1981). She felt these were not enough to tell the whole story of Alexander, and so she completed her nonfiction biography.
The book makes no attempt to be impartial or neutral, but rather unabashedly advocates Alexander as a truly great man.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'The Nature of Alexander' Start a new discussion about 'The Nature of Alexander' Answer questions from other users |
The Nature of Alexander (1975) is the only nonfiction work by celebrated novelist
Mary RenaultMary Renault born Mary Challans, was an English writer best known for her historical novels set in Ancient Greece...
(1905-1983).
The book is a biography of King
Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon, popularly known as Alexander the Great , was an Ancient Greek king of Macedon who created one of the largest empires in ancient history...
, ruler of
MacedonMacedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paionia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south...
,
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
and Persia. Renault wrote several novels in which Alexander appears:
The Mask of ApolloThe Mask of Apollo is a historical novel written by Mary Renault. It is set in ancient Greece shortly after the Peloponnesian War. The story involves the world of live theatre and political intrigue in the Mediterranean at the time...
(1966),
Fire From HeavenFire From Heaven is a 1969 historical novel by Mary Renault about the childhood and youth of Alexander the Great. It reportedly was a major inspiration for the Oliver Stone film Alexander.-Plot summary:...
(1969),
The Persian BoyThe Persian Boy is a 1972 historical novel written by Mary Renault and narrated by Bagoas, a young Persian from an aristocratic family who is captured by his father's enemies, castrated, and sold as a slave to the king Darius III, who makes him his favorite...
(1972), and
Funeral GamesFuneral Games is a 1981 historical novel by Mary Renault, dealing with the death of Alexander the Great and its aftermath, the gradual disintegration of his empire...
(1981). She felt these were not enough to tell the whole story of Alexander, and so she completed her nonfiction biography.
The book makes no attempt to be impartial or neutral, but rather unabashedly advocates Alexander as a truly great man. For example, she rejects the usual terminology of the "murder" of Kleitos, pointing out that legally, "murder" refers only to a killing with premeditation, which absolutely was not the case when the King killed Kleitos in a drunken brawl, after much drink and much provocation. She also points out that the beauty of the mummy of Alexander was still much admired even many generations after his death. She refutes many slurs against Alexander, both ancient and modern. She also defends Alexander's friend Hephaistion, pointing out that he corresponded with
AristotleAristotle was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology.Together with Plato and Socrates , Aristotle is one of...
and was successful in every mission and independent command he undertook.
The hardcover edition is beautifully illustrated.