Mary Renaults The Last of the Wine Essay -- Mary Renault Last Wine Gr

Mary Renaults The exit of the wine-coloredThe Last of the Wine, written by Mary Renault and published by Pantheon Books in 1956, is a classical novel that is both historically informative and entertaining. It is a diversion of classical Greece during the Peloponnesian War, when Pericles was the leader of the city of Athens. The story is being told in the first person narrative by Alexas, an Athenian soldier who survives the war. He reflects on his childhood, his experiences as a soldier, and his societys reaction to the ravages of the Peloponnesian war. This was a epoch when the Spartans had the city of Athens under siege. They burned the surrounding farms, cutting impinge on the food supply of the Athenians who sought refuge inside the city. Alexas recalls the hardships the Athenians faced and their royal efforts to protect their city from Spartan invasion.The main themes in this book atomic number 18 war, power, heroism, love, loyalty and growth. We are given further insight into the classical Greek society as Alexas reminisces about his family life, his training as an athlete, the Olympic Games, his homophile(prenominal) relationship with his mentor Lysis, and his encounters with Socrates the Philosopher. The main characters stick outm dogged by guilt, loneliness or failure, often the failure to love. The book ends on a joyful note, with the Athenians defeating the Spartans, and liberating their city from the corrupt politicians.Mary Renault is an award-winning novelist who writes imaginative historical fiction. Her literary works center on the social, cultural and political ambiance of pre-classical, classical, and Hellenistical Greece. Renault is mainly concerned with deepening and reconstructing myths for the purpose of describing contemporary prob... ...leader to create a vision for our youths and our society at large. We are to examine our political institutions to see if they serve the interest of the people.I can vouch for the authenticit y of the selective information in this book. It is historically correct and can be corroborated by the text currently being used in my history class. The Last of the Wine makes delightful reading and will appeal to readers of all interests. Written in a style and language that is easily understood and appreciated, it bristles with excitement, adventure and chivalric exploits. With all the foregoing in mind, I strongly recommend this book as a literary masterpiece. Works CitedILandon, C. Burns Jr., Mary Renault in Gunton, Sharon R, ed., Contemporanry Literature Criticism. Twaynes Publishers Inc, 1969, 394-397.2 Renault, Mary. The Last of the Wine Pantheon Rooks, 1956.