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A review by cosmo_naut
The Odyssey by Homer
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Emily WIlson has created a beautiful translation of the Odyssey that is both easily understandable and yet allows for poetic verses.
The introduction and translator's note were engaging and a great overview on Wilson's approach to translating a classic that has been translated countless times before.
The story itself is a classic and I can see why. It's gripping and it's fast paced and it deals with some universal human emotions of grief, home sickness, courage and want for revenge. From a modern lense I don't particularly like Odysseus (or most of the other characters). He seems to be incredibly arrogant for someone who is always called clever but rarely genuinely is clever without divine intervention. Most of his problems seem to be of his own doing. However, I'm aware that this is a text that was written in the 8th century BC and follows a general tradition of heroic journeys in a society with different values and morals. That certainly explains why walking up to a stranger and casually telling them you killed someone is not really a problem in the Odyssey.
The introduction and translator's note were engaging and a great overview on Wilson's approach to translating a classic that has been translated countless times before.
The story itself is a classic and I can see why. It's gripping and it's fast paced and it deals with some universal human emotions of grief, home sickness, courage and want for revenge. From a modern lense I don't particularly like Odysseus (or most of the other characters). He seems to be incredibly arrogant for someone who is always called clever but rarely genuinely is clever without divine intervention. Most of his problems seem to be of his own doing. However, I'm aware that this is a text that was written in the 8th century BC and follows a general tradition of heroic journeys in a society with different values and morals. That certainly explains why walking up to a stranger and casually telling them you killed someone is not really a problem in the Odyssey.