The Odysseys Impact on Modern Literature
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It’s our final episode in our Slow Down Summer with The Odyssey! The journey of reading this Greek classic was a refreshing experience both of us. Being out of the classroom for this revisit allowed us to experience reading The Odyssey in its entirety rather than focusing on some of the more action-packed episodes that work well for high schoolers. We also took particular notice of what Emily Wilson’s translation brought forth (AKA SO MUCH). Our reading of this ancient text felt much more vibrant this time around, and we share some thoughts as to why that may be in today’s episode.
In addition to sharing what we liked about reading Wilson’s translation, we discuss what we learned during Odysseus’ journey, major themes and motifs we think are worth considering, plus additional titles of note that are perfect for all our Mythology Girls who are looking for even more epic reading. There’s so much to chat with you about, so make sure to download today’s episode wherever you get your podcasts!
August is our month of recharging for our fall semester, so we won’t have any classes or webinars. If you were thinking about reading The Odyssey and want some time to catch-up and read along, now is a great time to join and get access to all our classes and weekly bonus episodes! We’ll also be discussing the second half of the The Odyssey together on Wednesday, July 26th at 7 PM EST, so you can tune in and hear more from our classics club about this summer read along. To sign up, visit us at patreon.com/novelpairings.
Plus—don’t forget to order or request a copy of Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer for our August book club. We’ll be meeting on August 30th at 7 PM EST to consider Dederer’s question “What do we do with the art of monstrous men?”
When a text is an ancient as The Odyssey, it’s bound to inspire stacks and stacks of literature. In addition to today’s episode and pairings from our original episode of The Odyssey, we’re here to share a few more titles to topple your TBR and give you lots of inspiration for when you want another epic journey.
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker - Pat Barker’s mythological retelling from the perspective of the female characters gives similar vibes to Madeline Miller’s Circe, which was published in 2018 as well. Focusing on Birseis—who was captured and given to Achilles for his concubine—as the witness and voice of the voiceless women of The Illiad, The Silence of the Girls sets to unravel a tale about the final ten weeks of the Trojan war and explores the world of men: their power, their egos, and their violence.
Cold Mountain by Charles Fraizer - A Winner of the National Book Award in the late 90s’, Cold Mountain also made its way to the silver screen with an adaptation starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renée Zellweger. This richly imagined historical fiction set during the end of the Civil War tells the harrowing journey of W. P. Inmans, a former soldier and deserter, to the love of his life, Ada Monroe. The book was touted as retelling Homer’s Odyssey as an American epic in the book’s review from the New York Times.
Meadowlands by Louise Gluck - This slim poetry collection from Nobel prize winning poet Louise Gluck intertwines the dissolution of a contemporary marriage with a retelling of The Odyssey. Using characters such as Penelope, Circe, Odysseus, and Telemucus, Gluck explores themes such as the unending negotiation of family life, how intimacy can enable cruelty, and frustrating minutiae of everyday tasks.
Didn’t Nobody Give A Shit What Happened to Carlotta by James Hannaham - Using both James Joyce’s Ulysses and its source material as the inspiration for his own novel, Didn’t Nobody tells the story of our titular character Carlotta, an Afro-Colombian trans woman recently released from twenty years of incarceration in a men’s prison. Heralded for its unique back-and-forth narrative style between third-person and steam of consciousness, Didn’t Nobody meshes classic themes and modern issues.
Psyche and Eros by Lucy McNamara - Drawing upon one of the best known love stories in Greek Mythology, Lucy McNamara fleshes out the story of the titular characters to give us a swoon-worthy adventure. For those not familiar with the story, Psyche is a prophesied female warrior who is cast to defeat a monster even the gods fear. When she angers Aphrodite, she is cursed to fall in love with Eros and be ripped away from him the moment their eyes meet.
Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin - From Virgil’s Aeneid, Lavinia, a relatively silent character in the original text, is given voice and agency in this modern tale by one of the great writers of our time. Lavinia grows up in a world of peace and freedom until suitors come to her door. Her parents have ideas of who would be a good match, but sacred springs say she must marry a different man and foresee treacherous roads ahead, making Lavinia take destiny into her own hands.
Lore Olympus (series) by Rachel Smythe - This modern update to Greek myths that was first serialized on WEBTOON can now be found in collected editions. (Books 1-4 are out now, with Book 5 out on October 3.) Beginning with the propulsive love story of Hades and Persephone, Rachel Smythe creates stunning art and brings the myths we know and love into the modern age with this romantic graphic novel.
Herc by Phoenicia Rogerson - From this queer, feminist revisioning of Hercules comes a story told from the chorus of secondary characters that surround the leading man. Out September 5th, this buzzy retelling is billed as a sometimes shocking story with humor and heart. There’s not too much more to say about this book until it’s finally released, but here’s a brief teaser about Rogerson’s two-book deal acquisition from Harlequin in Bookseller Magazine.
Oreo by Fran Ross - This 1974 satirical novel fell out-of-print before being rediscovered and brought out of obscurity by Professor Harryette Mullen. The short novel addresses the issues of a mixed-heritage child while being considered before its time. In this picaresque novel that pulls themes from the myth of Theseus, we follow our titular hero’s adventures and conflicts as she searches for her father.
Heroine with 1001 Faces by Maria Tatar - In this cumulative history from the leading authority on fairy tales and folklore comes a contrasting revelation to Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Challenging the male-coded cult of warrior-heroes and spiritual leaders, Heroine with 1,001 Faces reveals the history of heroines throughout literature and culture who show care, curiosity, and compassion in their search for justice.
An Odyssey: A Father, a Son and an Epic by Daniel Mendelsohn - In this moving memoir, Daniel Mendelsohn, a professor and critic, recounts the journey of rediscovering The Odyssey with his father after they sign up for an undergraduate class at Bard College. What unfolds in the pages of this moving memoir is a tale that is just as emotional as it is intellectual.
Women and Other Monsters by Jess Zimmerman - Ready to dive deeper with the monsters of Greek mythology? This cultural analysis by Jess Zimmerman aims to reorient the ancient tales told mainly by men, questioning the notion that women who angry, greedy, ambitious, or sexual are not only stepping outside of the bound of normalcy, but acting in a way that can be considered unnatural or monstrous. Zimmerman’s book reclaims these traits as a source of strength rather than a cause for concern.
Antigone Rising by Helen Morales - Lovers of snarky essays will love Morales’ smart, biting take on the ways in which classical antiquity is taught in school, glossing over some of the more troubling aspects and omitting the powerful seeds of feminist resistance these texts hold. Noting that these texts have lived for centuries of interpretation, Morales uncovers the hidden truths of solidarity, empowerment, and catharsis many of us find in these stories.
Readers, it’s been so lovely getting to slow down our reading this summer and tackle a big classic with you all. We hope you enjoy this deep dive into The Odyssey and would love to hear more about your experience reading and listening along with us in the comments below.
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