M. Eleanor Irwin

Marjorie "Eleanor" Irwin (née Gray; 1937–2025) was a Canadian classicist. Quotes The Greeks . . . were very sensitive to contrasts of light and dark, more so, apparently, than to differences in hue. They tended to describe as "light" and "dark" things which were contrasted or opposed for other reasons, but which we would not consider definitely "black" or "white." . . . Men and women, who, to our eyes, do not differ extremely in skin colour are described as "dark" (μέλας) and "light" (λευκός) respectively. The differentiation between the sexes was very clearly marked, whereas in our culture, one can be sorely perplexed as to the sex of a trousered, long-haired adolescent. We assume, then, that the dark and light contrast in Greek poetry reflects a contrast between men and women with regard to their social status and functions. Colour Terms in Greek Poetry (Toronto: Hakkert, 1974), ch. 4, p. 111 External links Q124071324 Category:1937 births Category:2025 deaths Category:Academics from Canada Category:Classical scholars Category:Women academics from Canada