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Wednesday Reading Meme (on Thursday)
Aug. 5th, 2021 10:23 pm Hello all!! I've seen a bunch of people on my reading page doing this meme, and since I'm doing some more reading recently I figured I'd give it a go! I started writing this post a few weeks ago, but then I kept getting busy & haven't finished until now lol. This might also turn into a general Wednesday Media Meme as I continue doing it so I can gush about any movies/shows/books/music etc I'm into.
So, I'm re-reading The Odyssey this summer! It's the first time I'm reading Emily Wilson's translation, which is really beautiful; her descriptions in general and depictions of Odysseus are really wonderful to read. I read Robert Fagles' translation a couple of years ago for a class, and I kind of wish I'd kept that version as well so I could pick out what they did differently. They both use pretty simple wording from what I recall of Fagles, which I feel like has the effect of making it more direct and powerful. Both have been very enjoyable!
So far I've read up to book eleven, and I think I'm enjoying it even more since I've already read it. It's such a complex, emotional story, and Wilson's translation choices seem to really enhance that. I also think it's also a really important story for people to continue reading, because the story of someone trying to return to their family and their life after experiencing war/trauma is so timeless, and it can serve as a metaphor for so many different things.
On a lighter note — I really love Telemachus!! I love his story of finding himself and becoming a man, especially in the Homeric world of gods and heroes where he has to find his place among all these other great people. Also, my sister recently told me that she learned that the English word "mentor" comes from The Odyssey, when Athena comes to Telemachus as a man named Mentor and helps/teaches him.
I also think it's so funny how a big plot point is that this huge group of suitors are pretty much just having a neverending frat party in Odysseus's house and eating like teenage boys, and they just don't get the hint that literally everyone wants them to get out. Like it's a big serious plot point, but it just makes me laugh when all the other characters are so compassionate to Odysseus about his frat boy problem lol !!
So, I'm re-reading The Odyssey this summer! It's the first time I'm reading Emily Wilson's translation, which is really beautiful; her descriptions in general and depictions of Odysseus are really wonderful to read. I read Robert Fagles' translation a couple of years ago for a class, and I kind of wish I'd kept that version as well so I could pick out what they did differently. They both use pretty simple wording from what I recall of Fagles, which I feel like has the effect of making it more direct and powerful. Both have been very enjoyable!
So far I've read up to book eleven, and I think I'm enjoying it even more since I've already read it. It's such a complex, emotional story, and Wilson's translation choices seem to really enhance that. I also think it's also a really important story for people to continue reading, because the story of someone trying to return to their family and their life after experiencing war/trauma is so timeless, and it can serve as a metaphor for so many different things.
On a lighter note — I really love Telemachus!! I love his story of finding himself and becoming a man, especially in the Homeric world of gods and heroes where he has to find his place among all these other great people. Also, my sister recently told me that she learned that the English word "mentor" comes from The Odyssey, when Athena comes to Telemachus as a man named Mentor and helps/teaches him.
I also think it's so funny how a big plot point is that this huge group of suitors are pretty much just having a neverending frat party in Odysseus's house and eating like teenage boys, and they just don't get the hint that literally everyone wants them to get out. Like it's a big serious plot point, but it just makes me laugh when all the other characters are so compassionate to Odysseus about his frat boy problem lol !!
