Abelian Functions: Abel’s Theorem and the Allied Theory of Theta Functions

Classical algebraic geometry, inseparably connected with the names of Abel, Riemann, Weierstrass, Poincare, Clebsch, Jacobi and other outstanding mathematicians of the last century, was mainly an analytical theory. In our century it has been enriched by the methods and ideas of topology, commutative algebra and Grothendieck’s schemes seemed to have replaced once and forever the somewhat naive language of classical algebraic geometry. This book contains more than its modest title suggests. Written in 1897, its scope was as broad as it could possibly be, namely to cover the whole of algebraic geometry, and associated theories. The subject is discussed by Baker in terms of transcendental functions, and in particular theta functions. Many of the ideas put forward are of continuing relevance today, and some of the most exciting ideas from theoretical physics draw on work presented here.