We will study a selection of contemporary versions
of Homer’s Odyssey in English poetry, prose and film paying particular attention
to the representations of Odysseus and of his wife Penelope. Texts to be
studied include Margaret Atwood, Penelopiad, Madeline Miller, Circe. We
will also look at extracts of films such as Petersen’s Troy (The Director’s
Cut) in which Odysseus plays an important role.
Questions for the course include: Which aspects
of the ancient sources are kept by modern writers and which are modified? How
do the modern versions treat the ambiguous figure of the trickster Odysseus and
his adventures, and how do modern feminist versions treat Penelope, his
faithful wife?
