| Product: |
Odyssey - Homer |
| Date: |
25.06.01 (348 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: exciting, tense, good fun
Disadvantages: old fashioned, repetitive
Having studied Homer's epic 'The Odyssey' for a year while taking my AS level in Classical Civilisation, I have grown to appreciate the book and get to grips with its style which may seem a bit strange to first time readers.
First of all, there are some interesting facts surrounding 'The Odyssey'. It is now called the first ever novel, and as a result is the first work of literature to be written down. Although little is known about Homer, and indeed many believe that not all of the 'Odyssey' is written by him, it is assumed that he was a Greek man who one day decided to actually write down the epic poem, that is the 'Odyssey', instead of having to listen to it all the time as it was read or sung by bards. The fact that it used to have to be memorised by the bards explains some of the stranger and sometimes irritating aspects of the book. For example, every few pages it will say something like 'Dawn woke fresh and rosy fingered' and the reason behind all the repitition is that the bards used this as a way of memorising the text. The bit about Dawn and her odd fingers acted as a kind of bookmark for the bard to help them remember where they were in the story.
'The Odyssey' has been translated many times, the most recent by headmaster Martin Hammond. I don't think that any translation is better than another and all should be good, because the writing of Homer is what counts.
The story begins with a scene in a small island kingdom called Ithica, twenty years after the Trojan War. In that war, the great hero and King of Ithica, Odysseus, went to fight for the Greeks, but unlike his fellow comrades, never returned to his home. Despite being away for so long, his faithful wife Penelope and son Telemachus, still pray and hope for his return, the former is usually described crying or being generally miserable. A band of young nobles, called the 'Suitors' from Ithica and other land
s has gathered round the palace of Odysseus and are waiting to marry Penelope, but instead they are causing Odysseus' wife and son all kinds of grief as they are eating all the food and raping all the maids.
The rest of story concerns Odyssues as he attempts to return home. His twenty years of travelling (a rather exicing and elongated gap year) are told in the present in in flashbacks. Will Odysseus reach Ithica? Will he be able to rid his palace of the suitors?
'The Odyssey' is a remarkable epic and has it all, action, mystery, imagination, great suspense and above all, is just a really good story. Odysseus' travels have him fighting the visualy impared Cyclops, a witch in a hut who turns his men to pigs and various other wierd and wonderful creatures. As well as all the magic involved, the Greek Gods play a vital role. Unfortunatley, the Gods despite possessing great power and mortality, lack good social skills and have rather short tempers. Zeus (the king of the gods) has a brother Posiedon who enjoys sinking ships, especially ones which contain Odysseus. He also bears a grudge against the hero for blinding his son the Cyclops (don't ask for the family tree).
Odysseus himself may not seem an ideal bloke in modern ages, but a hero he is, handy with the sword and clever with the tongue. He may seem a wimp or puffy to some as he keeps breaking into tears, but they did that alot in those days.
Penelope is regarded as the second hero of the novel, but feminists may think otherwise. She spends her time in tears mostly but the women in the novel are fairly strong characters, mostly the Godeses.
In all, I really enjoyed the book. The morals and ideals are obviously old fashioned but its all great fun and exciting. Homer wracks up the tension near that end, and also the gore.
Summary:
|
|
