The Odyssey

Study Notes

The Odyssey is an epic poem attributed to Homer.
It follows the journey of Odysseus, a Greek hero, as he tries to return home after the Trojan War.
The poem is divided into 24 books and was originally composed in Homeric Greek.
The Odyssey is part of the Greek literary canon and is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read today.
Themes in the poem include nostos, wandering, xenia, testing, and omens.
The story also focuses on the role of women and slaves in ancient Greek society.
The Odyssey is regarded as one of the most significant works of the Western canon.
The first English translation of the Odyssey was in the 16th century.
The story has been adapted and re-imagined across a wide variety of media.
The Odyssey topped the list of literature's most enduring narrative in a poll conducted by BBC Culture in 2018.
The Odyssey is a Greek epic poem in dactylic hexameter.
It tells the story of Odysseus' journey home after the Trojan War.
The story opens in medias res and includes flashbacks and storytelling.
Odysseus faces challenges and obstacles, including the wrath of the gods.
He is aided by various characters, including Athena and Circe.
The Odyssey includes themes of homecoming and wandering.
The story is divided into 24 books, corresponding to the Greek alphabet.
The location of Ithaca and other places visited by Odysseus are debated by scholars.
The Odyssey shows influences from Near Eastern mythology and literature.
The poem includes patterns and themes that are still relevant today.
The Odyssey is an epic poem attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer.
It tells the story of the Greek hero Odysseus and his journey home after the Trojan War.
The poem explores themes such as hospitality, testing, and omens.
Odysseus encounters many beings close to the gods, including the Phaeacians, Polyphemus, Circe, and the Laestrygonians.
Guest-friendship, or xenia, is an important theme, with examples of good and poor hosts throughout the epic.
Testing occurs in two distinct ways: Odysseus tests the loyalty of others, and others test Odysseus' identity.
Omens, often involving birds, occur frequently throughout the Odyssey.
The date of the poem's composition is a matter of some disagreement among scholars, but it was likely written in the late 8th century BC.
The Homeric poems gained a canonical place in ancient Athens by the 6th century BC and were widely copied and used as school texts throughout antiquity and the Middle Ages.
There have been many English translations of the Odyssey, with George Chapman's and Alexander Pope's being some of the most famous. In recent years, Emily Wilson's translation has gained attention for being the first by a woman.
The Homeric texts, including the Odyssey and the Iliad, greatly impacted ancient Mediterranean society and Western humanists.
The Odyssey is widely regarded as a timeless classic and one of the oldest works of extant literature commonly read by Western audiences.
Dante's depiction of Odysseus in the Inferno became understood as a manifestation of Renaissance colonialism and othering.
James Joyce's modernist novel Ulysses was significantly influenced by the Odyssey.
Margaret Atwood adapted parts of the Odyssey for her novella, The Penelopiad, to highlight the poem's female characters.
Madeline Miller's Circe revisits the relationship between Odysseus and Circe on Aeaea.
The Odyssey topped a poll of experts by BBC Culture to find literature's most enduring narrative.
The influence of the Homeric texts on cultural values can be difficult to summarise.
The poem formed the basis of education for members of ancient Mediterranean society.
The Odyssey remains a popular and influential work of literature.