Knossos and the Prophets of Modernism
- Contents
- Review Quotes
- Awards

Introduction
I. The Birth of Tragedy, 1822-1897
An Archaeology of Heroes
A Prophecy of Tragedy
What Ariadne Is
II. Stand Up Tragedy, 1851-1899
The Dry Smell of Time
Eastern Questions
The Road to the Labyrinth
Greek Defeat
Reconstructing the Nation
III. Ariadne’s Lament
Ariadne’s Throne
The Great Cretan Mother
Ariadne’s Dancing Floor
The Making of a Goddess
The Villa Ariadne
Cretan Victory
Ariadne in Chirico City
IV. The Concrete Labyrinth, 1914-1935
The Throne Room Complex
Captain of the Blacks
Court Ladies
Priest-King and Cowgirls
Lost Boys
The Lady of Sports
The Magic Ring
The Psyche Element
Little Souls
V. Psyche’s Labyrinth, 1919-1949
Mythical Method
The Decline of Crete
Achilles’ Shield
Freudian Archaeology
Psyche’s Muse
Crete on the Couch
The Battle of Crete
VI. The Rebirth of Comedy, 1942-1949
Psyche Reborn
Paradise before Eve
Psyche Rewritten
The Consort
New Crete
VII. The Birth of Farce, 1950-2000
Romantic Revivals
The White Goddess
Black Athena
The Road Back to War
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
“Fascinating and consistently entertaining. . . . It is a tribute to the wit and clarity of Gere’s style that she is able to explain all this without making the reader’s brain ache.”
“Cathy Gere writes with verve and clarity, and with Knossos and the Prophets of Modernism she offers a surprising juxtaposition of individual personalities and themes that gives us a new way of thinking about the cultural origins of some of the most interesting aspects of modern culture.”
“This merger of past and present is at the heart of Cathy Gere’s richly textured and well-written cultural history. . . . The implications of this fascinating book extend far beyond the island that is its focus.”
Association of American Publishers: PROSE Book Award
Won
Wayne State University Academy of Scholars: Thomas N. Bonner Award
Won
Art: Art--General Studies
History: Ancient and Classical History | European History
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