Ancient Literature: The Odyssey
By Kit Macdonald
A timely discussion of one of the foundational texts of European literature here – the epic that narrates the adventures of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and is, of course, in the middle of a glow-up right now because of Christopher Nolan's blockbuster film. As Backstory put it, this is "a journey through a mythical geographic space, but also a journey of the mind, The Odyssey went on to establish the ancient literary genre of νόστος, or "Homecoming".
No specific translation is required, but Backstory ask that you make sure you are reading a translation rather than a retelling. Translations recommended by Backstory are those by Emily Wilson, Robert Fitzgerald, Richmond Lattimore and Samuel Butler. Stephen Fry's popular Odyssey is a retelling rather than a translation. The session will be led by Ian Charles Lepine, a playwright, sculptor and pianist.