About Jean-Pierre Vernant
Jean-Pierre Vernant (French: [vɛʁnɑ̃]; January 4, 1914 – January 9, 2007) was a French resistant, historian and anthropologist, specialist in ancient Greece. Influenced by Claude Lévi-Strauss, Vernant developed a structuralist approach to Greek myth, tragedy, and society which would itself be influential among classical scholars. He was an honorary professor at the Collège de France. A member of the Young Communists (Jeunes Communistes), Vernant joined the French Resistance during World War II and was a member of Libération-sud (founded by Emmanuel d'Astier). The structuralist approach pioneered by Vernant has been influential on a wide range of classical scholars. He was awarded the CNRS gold medal in 1984.
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