You may have noticed that Greek mythology is having a bit of a moment lately. Several acclaimed novelists have produced fiction inspired by or in conversation with ancient literature…and have been nominated for awards.
Last month, I mentioned wanting to bump up my relaxation reading, and my Scribd subscription helped with that in October. For my reading the Odysseys project, I started Stephen Mitchell’s translation (it will be in my November review). I also focused on contextualizing by familiarizing myself with Homer scholarship and reading more reception literature.
A challenge of researching reception of classical literature is that we cannot always know whether intertextual references are intentional or incidental. Rereading the Harry Potter series alongside The Odyssey, the parallels are striking. So much so that it’s difficult to believe they’re coincidental. As I’ve noted before, though, it may be a case of timeless …
Continue reading “Scars, Wandering, and Homecoming in Homer and Harry Potter”
In September, I worked on finding balance in my reading life. I’ve been so consumed with ancient Greece and The Odyssey that I’ve neglected my relaxation reading, meaning the reading I do to clear my mind at bedtime and when I first wake up. It can feel so self-indulgent to read without any destination or …
As promised in my last post: Two ancient Greek concepts that play a significant role in both The Odyssey and Harry Potter are xenia and suppliants.
Since beginning my “reading all the Odysseys” project, I’ve been finding Odyssean echoes in books that otherwise have nothing to do with Homer. Without my intending it to, The Odyssey has become an interpretive lens through which I read books of all kinds.
Lately, I’ve been fascinated by classical reception in children’s literature, especially in books for young readers ages 9-12.
About a month ago, I decided I want to read all the English translations of Homer’s The Odyssey. Given the dozens in existence, “all” will probably be interpreted loosely. But that is not the subject of today’s discussion. Today, I want to talk about, well, what the title of this piece says.
Current reads: The Odyssey by Homer, translated by E. V. Rieu Helen and Trojan Women by Euripides The Poems of Hesiod, translated by Barry B. Powell Current thoughts: Lately, I’ve been thinking about my first response to the first line of Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey: “Tell me about a complicated man.” Relief. It …
Mid-January feels like a good time for a reading year review of 2017. In recent years, I’ve done my best to stop fussing over how many books or pages I read as compared to an arbitrary goal or my previous reading year. But two developments this year captured my attention.
