Seneca's Ad Helviam : its content and purpose
Date
1984
Authors
Twiddy, Andrew D.
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Abstract
This thesis examines the Ad Helviam, a consolatory treatise written from exile by Seneca to his mother Helvia which is not only one of Seneca's best works, but is also among the very best of extant consolations. The thesis is in two movements, covering (i) the content of the Ad Helviam, and (ii) the purpose of the Ad Helviam.
The introduction sets the writer and his work in their respective contexts, and illustrates the main areas of interest and relevance which the work has for us today. It then outlines the two areas of study which are contained in the body of the thesis.
The first chapter looks at the content of the Ad Helviam, dealing with its literary and philosophical debt. This includes a survey of the genre of consolation literature and the subsection of that genre which dealt with consolations for exile. Following a treatment of Seneca's various philosophical sources in the dialogue is a detailed study of how the structure and argumentation of the Ad Helviam are affected by generic concerns, concluding that there are elements of originality, although .there is a debt to tradition. Seneca deserves credit not only for his innovations, but also for the many means which he uses in order to maintain a tone of freshness and intimacy, and thus to keep his readers interested in his work.
Using the first chapter as a basis, the second chapter is an examination of the many purposes which the writer had for composing the work. Here we move from a re-evaluation of material which for the most part has been previously studied to a fresh synthesis of ideas and a new statement on the Ad Helviam.
Six purposes are suggested for the composition of the dialogue, the first two of which are of a private nature, while the rest assume a wider audience.
Seneca may have written to console Helvia, to console himself, to expound his philosophy, to defend himself on the adultery charge for which he had been exiled , to bolster his literary reputation in Rome, or to set the scene for and politely request his return to society. Evidence for these motives is obtained both from within the dialogue and from external sources; it is possible to believe that all the motives existed in the writer's mind simultaneously at the time of composition.
Finally , the conclusion not only summarises the two chapters , but unites them by stating that it is through the use and refashioning of generic material that Seneca achieves his purposes.