Homer’s Odyssey: A Deep Dive (before Christopher Nolan’s Film!)

Need a refresher on Homer’s Odyssey before you watch the upcoming movie by Christopher Nolan? Emily and Cam have got you covered! In this episode, they break down the poem’s plot and its major themes as they explore topics like Odysseus’ reliability as a narrator (spoiler alert: he has none whatsoever!) and Penelope’s own craftiness.Visit our homepage to subscribe, to find us on social media, and to contact us by email:https://havetogawilltravel.comUseful Links:Listen to our episode about the “The Return”, Uberto Passolini’s splendid 2024 adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey.Cover image: “Archaic or late geometric period krater depicting Odysseus and a friend stabbing the giant Polyphemus in his only eye, clay, 670 BCE, Archaeological Museum of Argos.” Photo by Mary Harrsh, Wikimedia Commons.----------00:11 - Introduction01:40 - What is the Odyssey?01:46 - The Odyssey, the Iliad, and other epic poems02:23 - The Homer problem. Do we know who wrote the Odyssey, and when?06:54 - An overview of the Odyssey’s plot10:14 - The poem and its 24 “books”11:00 - The Telemachy: Narrative11:23 - Athena visits Ithaka12:08 - Athena’s plans for Odysseus’ son Telemachus13:55 - Telemachus sets sail on an adventure to visit Nestor, Menelaus, and Helen17:50 - The Telemachy: Themes18:01 - The vulnerability of Telemachus’ position19:39 - Hospitality: gracious hosts and happy guests21:43 - Sailing to Ithaka: Narrative22:06 - Odysseus escapes the Island of Calypso23:18 - Shipwrecked again! Odysseus and the Phaeacians29:28 - Odysseus tells the story of his adventures (the Cyclops, Circe, the underworld, the sirens, Scylla and Charybdis—and some other good bits)41:29 - The Phaeacians send Odysseus home42:11 - Sailing to Ithaka: Themes42:18 - More on hospitality: bad hosts and dodgy guests45:19 - Odysseus, the man of suffering46:30 - Odysseus, the unreliable narrator62:50 - A postscript on the poem’s mythical geography55:37 - Ithaka at last!: Narrative55:51 - Odysseus visits Eumaeus56:41 - Telemachus returns to Ithaka—and Odysseus hatches a plan58:42 - Odysseus among the suitors in disguise59:57 - Penelope, Odysseus, and Eurycleia62:23 - Penelope’s contest, Odysseus’ bow, and a massacre64:48 - Reunions: Odysseus and Penelope, Odysseus and Laertes65:53 - The final battle (and a deus ex machina)66:39 - Ithaka at last!: Themes66:43 - How much revenge is TOO much?72:33 - Penelope, that crafty girl79:41 - Final bits and bobs79:50 - The popularity of the Odyssey over time80:37 - Our hopes for Nolan’s film81:45 - Wrap-up