Soon to be released as a major motion picture, director Christopher Nolan brings the classic myth The Odyssey to larger-than-life IMAX format this summer. Following the events of the Trojan War, Odysseus (Matt Damon) faces a dangerous, decade-long voyage back to Ithaca and to his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway), meeting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Circe along the way.
What makes The Odyssey so compelling, after so many years? For some it's the epic adventure; for others, the epic romance. The archetypal characters and universal themes of homecoming and hospitality, faith and fidelity, fate and free will, vengeance and justice, and cunning over strength. speak deeply to us, and help us navigate our own trials, relationships, and emotions. Whether you are familiar with classical mythology or this is your first time experiencing the epic adventure of The Odyssey, here are some read-a-like suggestions to introduce you to the plot, extend your understanding, or just provide another perspective on the classic tale.
Make sure to check out WPL's Reader's Corner for more book suggestions!
Classic Translations
Many scholars have put their brains to deciphering the ancient Greek texts that make up this epic tale, each with something different to offer.
The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson
A new translation of the epic poem, and the first by a woman, brings alive Homer's tale of shipwrecks, monsters, and magic, and provides an introductory overview of the poem's major themes, controversial origin, and the scope of its influence.
The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fagles
A new verse translation of the Greek classic describes the wanderings of Odysseus after the fall of Troy.
The Odyessey by Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald
Presents the classic poem concerning the wanderings of the hero Odysseus and his miraculous return to Ithaca and a faithful wife.
The Odyssey: A Dramatic Retelling of Homer's Epic by Homer, translated by Simon Armitage
Armitage recasts Homer's epic as a series of bristling dramatic dialogues: between gods and men; between no-nonsense Captain Odysseus and his unruly, lotus-eating, homesick companions; and between subtle Odysseus (wiliest hero of antiquity) and a range of shape-shifting adversaries―Calypso, Circe, the Sirens, the Cyclops―as he and his men are "pinballed between islands" of adversity. One of the most individual voices of his generation, Armitage revitalizes our sense of the Odyssey as oral poetry, as indeed one of the greatest of tall tales.
The Odyssey: Greek Myths Reimagined by Stephen Fry
After 10 years of war, the Greeks make their way back to their own lands but what homes now await them? Agamemnon must return to his wife Clytemnestra, who has been nursing her rage since he sacrificed their daughter to the gods for a favourable wind. Her revenge will know no bounds. Meanwhile, Odysseus has angered the god Poseidon and he is cursed to wander the seas, facing angry monsters and possessive demi-gods as he attempts to return to Ithaca and his patient, clever wife Penelope.
Graphic Retellings
Comic-style panels are used to show and tell the story of the events leading up to the Trojan War.
Age of Bronze series reinterpreted & illustrated by Eric Shanower
Drawn from the myths and legends of centuries, A Thousand Ships presents anew for the twenty-first century the complete prelude to the Trojan war- each sensual touch, every savage blow, the smiles and tears, the lust and betrayal, the entire tapestry of drama and action. Read online, via OverDrive
A Thousand Ships #1
Sacrifice #2
Betrayal #3
The Odyssey reinterpreted & illustrated by Gareth Hinds
A vivid graphic novel reinterpretation of Homer's epic poem finds the King of Ithaca cursed by the sea god Poseidon to years of shipwreck and battles against fantastical creatures.
The Odyssey reinterpreted & illustrated by Seymour Chwast
Presents a visual interpretation of Homer's classic that utilizes a black, white, and blue interior design infused with the artist's sly humor.
Fiction Adaptations
Faithful reproductions in historical or period style, and other looser interpretations give new insights into Penelope and Odysseus.
When his attempts to get to know his dying father fail, William Bloom makes up stories that recreate his father's life in heroic proportions.
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
After Inman escapes from a war hospital in 1864 and starts walking to Cold Mountain, his faithful wife Ada struggles to save her mountain farm in his absence with the help of Ruby, an illiterate but efficient farmer.
Omeros by Derek Walcott
A poem in five books, of circular narrative design, titled with the Greek name for Homer, which simultaneously charts two currents of history: the visible history charted in events -- the tribal losses of the American Indian, the tragedy of African enslavement -- and the interior, unwritten epic fashioned from the suffering of the individual in exile.
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
Presents the cycle of stories about Penelope, wife of Odysseus, through the eyes of the twelve maids hanged for disloyalty to Odysseus in his absence.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Passionately in love, Clare and Henry vow to hold onto each other and their marriage as they struggle with the effects of Chrono-Displacement Disorder, a condition that casts Henry involuntarily into the world of time travel.
Ulysses by James Joyce
A day in the life of Leopold Bloom, whose odyssey through the streets of turn-of-the-century Dublin leads him through trials that parallel those of Ulysses (Odysseus) on his epic journey home.
Other Greek Myths
For additional pairings, including poetry and teaching resources for the Odyssey, check out freshman English teacher Kristi Moore's excellent blog post and booklist, or our suggestions for retellings, adaptions, and read-a-likes for The Iliad.
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