Introduction to The Odyssey
In the next few weeks, we’ll read sections of The Odyssey, the classic tale named after Odysseus, “The Man of Twists and Turns,” a fighter with a quick mind, sharp instincts, and an island-sized ego.
The story begins 20 years after the end of the Trojan War. Odysseus, one of its greatest heroes, is trapped on an island by the powerful sorceress Circe, unable to return home to Ithaca. Back at home, his palace is overrun by greedy suitors. They seek to marry his presumable widow, the regal and cunning Penelope. Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, who was born just before his father left for war, has grown fed up with the suitors, but isn’t sure what to do, as he’s greatly outnumbered.
The story picks up when Athena, the goddess who looks out for Odysseus, asks Zeus for assistance.
Why read The Odyssey?
The Odyssey is one of those stories that everybody is expected to know a little about—the Cyclops, the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, the show-stopping “Slaughter in the Hall”—all are part of the collective imagination, and have influenced countless stories since.
Robert Fagles’ translation bring Odysseus’s story to life in powerful, vivid language. Learning to master its rhythms and style is a reward in itself. The story begs to be acted out—so be ready for some drama!
As the poem states, the Muse must “sing for our time too.” Exhorting us to be clever and brave, cunning and ruthless, loyal and true, The Odyssey resonates through the ages.
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