Dr. Dylan Kenny

Biography

Dylan Kenny’s research explores the intersections of early Greek poetry and philosophy, emphasizing the forms, texts, and conditions of production. Part of his research investigates the long history of scholarship and reception that has shaped conceptions of the relationship between poetry and philosophy in antiquity. His book, "Harvest Wisdom: Inquiry Authority Pindar’s Poetry," situates Pindar’s work within the fifth-century speculative thought, integrating domains such as natural philosophy, medicine, political thought, and rhetoric. Contrary to the long-standing perception of Pindar as an archaic anachronism, Kenny posits him as a crucial and often overlooked guide for contesting cultural authority in an era of intellectual ferment. In addition, he maintains research interests in the reception of ancient poetry in twentieth-century art and thought, with current projects exploring gnomic plenitude in Bacchylides and a study of Maurice Blanchot's essay on the beginnings of 'archaic' influences in Robert Duncan's work.

Research Interests