Reading Notes: Homer's Odyssey, Part A

I read Homer's Odyssey for this week. I am slightly familiar with this story from the past, but I wanted to read it again because I remember enjoying it very much. I love the way the story goes into descriptive detail from the start. The cyclops are pictured as mean and nasty people, and the writing provides great imagery. I was thinking that I could maybe change the cyclops to something more comical in my own retelling of the story. I love the fact that the imagery is constant throughout each section of the reading. There is never a time where I cannot close my eyes and imagine what the events taking place look like. I love the creativity that the story offers in tricking the cyclops. Odysseus is a very cunning man and a likable character. I think a hero that is very keen on outwitting his enemies is very entertaining. This provides another level of depth to the story, and it is something that I would like to emulate in the future. I have not been able to create something like this before, and I think that it would be really neat to use this story as a base for doing something similar. I really enjoyed the back and forth banter that the story utilizes. Odysseus and Polyphemus both exchange words meant to slight the other. Even after Odysseus escapes, he cannot refrain from keeping his words to himself and fleeing in peace. He antagonizes his captor. I would consider this to be a large character flaw. I like the fact that Odysseus is also grounded as a hero and not as someone who is flawless. It keeps the story more relatable in a sense. The story also provides lots of highs and lows and avoids having periods of dullness. I think this is a special feature and something that not many people are able to replicate. Overall, I would like to stick to the elements that I have discussed. I think there is a lot to work with.

(A statue of Odysseus from the 1st century. Source: Wikipedia Commons)

Bibliography: Homer's Odyssey translated by Tony Kline.