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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Het verhaal van Odysseus' omzwervingen en thuiskomst op Ithaka alwaar hij alle vrijers van zijn kuise vrouw Penelope uitmoordt. Deze laatst episode is veruit het langst. Bij herlezing valt op hoe modern geconstrueerd dit verhaal is, dat niet geheel chronologisch verloopt, maar vlak voor zijn einde begint, een enorme flash-back in de vorm van een raamvertelling kent (boek IX-XII met daarin alle beroemde avonturen van Odysseus) en langzaam, maar onafwendbaar afstevent op de bloederige finale.
Het boek gaat jammergenoeg na deze finale als een nachtkaars uit: wanneer er na de moord op de vrijers een burgeroorlog dreigt, komt Athene als een echte deus ex machina tussenbeide en dat was het dan. Het is allemaal wat mosterd na de maaltijd, na prachtige passages over Odysseus ontmoeting met Nausikaä, zijn gesprekken met zijn overleden moeder, Achilles en een net gestorven compaan in de onderwereld, het gebral van de overmoedige vrijers en de hereniging van Odysseus met Penelope.
Van Zuydewijn heeft het verhaal vertaald in vlotte hexameters, waaruit het gedicht nog opvallend levendig, spannend en diep overkomt. Zo zijn niet alle vrijers door en door slecht, maar wordt toch iedereen uitgemoord en zowel Odysseus en Penelope gedragen zich achterdochtiger en verbitterder dan nodig is. Met andere woorden, het verhaal is helemaal niet zo zwart-wit en geeft zeker wat betreft moraal flinke stof tot nadenken.
Het boek gaat jammergenoeg na deze finale als een nachtkaars uit: wanneer er na de moord op de vrijers een burgeroorlog dreigt, komt Athene als een echte deus ex machina tussenbeide en dat was het dan. Het is allemaal wat mosterd na de maaltijd, na prachtige passages over Odysseus ontmoeting met Nausikaä, zijn gesprekken met zijn overleden moeder, Achilles en een net gestorven compaan in de onderwereld, het gebral van de overmoedige vrijers en de hereniging van Odysseus met Penelope.
Van Zuydewijn heeft het verhaal vertaald in vlotte hexameters, waaruit het gedicht nog opvallend levendig, spannend en diep overkomt. Zo zijn niet alle vrijers door en door slecht, maar wordt toch iedereen uitgemoord en zowel Odysseus en Penelope gedragen zich achterdochtiger en verbitterder dan nodig is. Met andere woorden, het verhaal is helemaal niet zo zwart-wit en geeft zeker wat betreft moraal flinke stof tot nadenken.
Breaking news: After more than 2800 years, historians have discovered a typo in Odysseus's name. It was originally written as "Odickeus." The guy's a massive tool. The original dudebro.
Note: I listened and read simultaneously for a fully immersive experience.
A Lyrical Fusion of Translation and Performance
This is a stunning collaboration between Emily Wilson’s luminous translation and Claire Danes’ elegant narration. Together, they breathe new life into a classical work, making it feel both timeless and immediate. One of the most compelling and emotionally resonant performances I’ve encountered on Audible.
A Lyrical Fusion of Translation and Performance
This is a stunning collaboration between Emily Wilson’s luminous translation and Claire Danes’ elegant narration. Together, they breathe new life into a classical work, making it feel both timeless and immediate. One of the most compelling and emotionally resonant performances I’ve encountered on Audible.
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was a lovely one to read. The translation style felt comprehensive and fluid, and its prose was quite invigorating. However, I realise that some of the decisions made by Homer in terms of his writing were not my favourite. I do not care much for the length of the accounts of past woes of the characters, as I felt that they could serve the same purpose whilst also being more concise, however, this is mere speculation on the part of a novice.
Having recently read ‘The Iliad’ before this, I have read this with many a comparison in mind between the two works of Homer. Between the two, I have certainly come to the conclusion of preference of ‘The Odyssey’ over ‘The Iliad’, as it is far more narratively focused and structured more conventionally than that of the latter. ‘The Iliad’ is, of course, a different variety of story from ‘The Odyssey’. Being a war epic, it is intuitive that it would include more sweeping detail on the combat between Achaean and Trojan, but I also feel as if it does so excessively. In comparison, ‘The Odyssey’ follows the trials and tribulations of a single man and his journey home, as well as his vengeance against those who plundered his estate and courted his wife. I feel as if the latter of the pair is far more narratively focused and, therefore, captivating.
The characters involved were well-developed and complex, benefitting from the increased focus on a smaller cast than ‘The Iliad’. I felt far more empathy towards Odysseus, Telemachus and Penelope than I felt emotion towards the warriors of Achaea, simply based on my preference towards this story’s narrative structure.
Athena’s consistent presence throughout both works of Homer was delightful, and I continue to greatly enjoy the interplay of the Olympian pantheon in these stories, and how they interact with the events of the story and directly manipulate them. Whilst divine intervention was mainly limited to Poseidon and Athena in this piece, it was nonetheless quite interesting to witness.
The inevitable vengeance of Odysseus was a bit, in my opinion, dragged-out in terms of its build-up, but nonetheless a cathartic experience. His eventual reunion with his wife and son were also quite moving.
Overall, an enjoyable piece to read with lovely style.
Having recently read ‘The Iliad’ before this, I have read this with many a comparison in mind between the two works of Homer. Between the two, I have certainly come to the conclusion of preference of ‘The Odyssey’ over ‘The Iliad’, as it is far more narratively focused and structured more conventionally than that of the latter. ‘The Iliad’ is, of course, a different variety of story from ‘The Odyssey’. Being a war epic, it is intuitive that it would include more sweeping detail on the combat between Achaean and Trojan, but I also feel as if it does so excessively. In comparison, ‘The Odyssey’ follows the trials and tribulations of a single man and his journey home, as well as his vengeance against those who plundered his estate and courted his wife. I feel as if the latter of the pair is far more narratively focused and, therefore, captivating.
The characters involved were well-developed and complex, benefitting from the increased focus on a smaller cast than ‘The Iliad’. I felt far more empathy towards Odysseus, Telemachus and Penelope than I felt emotion towards the warriors of Achaea, simply based on my preference towards this story’s narrative structure.
Athena’s consistent presence throughout both works of Homer was delightful, and I continue to greatly enjoy the interplay of the Olympian pantheon in these stories, and how they interact with the events of the story and directly manipulate them. Whilst divine intervention was mainly limited to Poseidon and Athena in this piece, it was nonetheless quite interesting to witness.
The inevitable vengeance of Odysseus was a bit, in my opinion, dragged-out in terms of its build-up, but nonetheless a cathartic experience. His eventual reunion with his wife and son were also quite moving.
Overall, an enjoyable piece to read with lovely style.
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i wanted to love the story especially since i love epic the musical, but the story didn’t click for me. it didn’t have to do with the translation of the book, it was specifically that i didn’t find the plot interesting. i couldn’t connect with the characters. i did also annotate this book to make sure i understood what was going on, but even with that, where i should be more engaged, i just wanted to quickly finish this book
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Just a man trying to get home