The Canon Library
Cover of Fragments

Ancient ยท Lyric poetry

Fragments

by Sappho. A significant canonical or canon-expanding work by Sappho, centered on love, beauty, loss; added in the full 1,200-work edition for its sustained influence, representative importance, or role in revising the traditional canon.

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Date
c. 600 BCE
Origin
Ancient Greece
Era
Ancient
Genre
Lyric poetry
Canon tier
Expanded canon
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
Medium
Collection
The Western Canon

Subjects and themes

Why it matters

A significant canonical or canon-expanding work by Sappho, centered on love, beauty, loss; added in the full 1,200-work edition for its sustained influence, representative importance, or role in revising the traditional canon.

This work is included on the basis of full-canon expansion: traditional, modern, revised, and genre canons. Its cataloged influence level is 4 out of 5.