On the Sublime

English · 1890 · 2h 55m · Literary Criticism, Antiquity

What makes a work of writing feel sublime? This ancient treatise on literary style considers how language can rise beyond the merely correct or persuasive to move and elevate its audience.

Traditionally attributed to Longinus, though its authorship is uncertain, On the Sublime examines the sources of powerful expression and the choices that can strengthen or weaken a writer’s effect. Its discussion draws on examples from Greek literature, including Homer, Plato, and Demosthenes.

Part literary criticism and part guide to rhetoric, the work offers a window into how ancient readers judged eloquence, imagination, and emotional force. Its focus is not only on rules of style, but on the relationship between a writer’s thought and the impression made on a listener or reader.