Sappho's Ethical Trajectory of Desire

Sappho’s poetry, taken as an ensemble, represents a comprehensive evaluation of a meaningful life. These poems coordinate value-laden terms, employed with varied contextualization, to express the personal experiences of the narrator and those of other individuals. Integral to this assessment is the role played by desire in moving an individual to utilize cognitive, emotional, and physical faculties in expressing appreciation for and attempting to make contact with another. The ways she employs the terms and articulates their potential interaction bear on evaluations investigated by ancient and contemporary authors. This paper is meant to serve as an introduction for a more detailed analysis on how Sappho reflects traditional values in projecting a unique perspective.