Abstract Adaptation has been embedded into Homer’s Odyssey since its origins in the oral traditions of ancient Greece. With each new age, creative artists find fresh ways to re-tell the story of the poem’s world and its protagonist—who is himself known for his adaptability—recasting his adventures and quest for home in ways that speak to the concerns of the contemporaneous moment. The range of these adaptations has been vast, with the epic being appropriated sometimes for diametrically opposed purposes: in support of imperialism or to contest it; as a vehicle for patriarchal dominance or feminist autonomy; as a narrative in support of refugees or condemning the indigenous inhabitants of certain lands. Some of these works have themselves become foundational, inspiring stories and genres in their turn, and with the imminent release of Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster adaptation, we have a new chance to see what the Odyssey might be in our current moment.
Justine McConnell (Thu,) studied this question.