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A review by graywacke
The Odyssey of Homer by Elizabeth Vandiver
4.0
Another good lecture series by Vandiver. She brought out several of the more subtle aspects of the Odyssey, which I really appreciated.
She spends a lot of time on the first conversation between Penelope and the old beggar who is actually Odysseus in disguise. On the surface they are just talking, Odysseus exploring and Penelope just asking innocent questions. There is a lot of debate about whether or not Penelope recognizes that she is in fact talking to Odysseus (as I like to think). Since it takes place in front of unreliable slaves, it's essential to maintain the disguise, even if Penelope did crack it. Vandiver shows that if you think Penelope does recognize Odysseus, the whole conversation can be broken down into a coded and emotional messaging. Penelope could be pleading her innocence, and then making (mass murder) plans for the suitors.
Another feature was the smashing rocks that come after the sirens. I didn't understand when I read it that these rocks actually move back and forth and smash against each other. They are like ice bergs! This emphasizes the imaginary aspects of the geography, and which seems to help explain to me why the Laestrygonians live on what I can only conceive as a fjord.
And lastly, I couldn't help thinking about all the alternative stories that still work within this book. These are outside Vandiver's coverage, but it was listening about the book that led me to them. My favorite: same story, but unsaid, behind it, is that Penelope has found a lover without the resources of the suitors. The lover is, of course, a master liar and story teller, maybe even a bard. He arrives on the island with nothing and, as planned, convinces her son he is Odysseus, the father Telemachus never knew. Then, with Penelope's help, he convinces everyone else he really is Odysseus and kills anyone he can't convince. The slaves are all aptly rewarded to keep their mouth shut, some are even freed.
She spends a lot of time on the first conversation between Penelope and the old beggar who is actually Odysseus in disguise. On the surface they are just talking, Odysseus exploring and Penelope just asking innocent questions. There is a lot of debate about whether or not Penelope recognizes that she is in fact talking to Odysseus (as I like to think). Since it takes place in front of unreliable slaves, it's essential to maintain the disguise, even if Penelope did crack it. Vandiver shows that if you think Penelope does recognize Odysseus, the whole conversation can be broken down into a coded and emotional messaging. Penelope could be pleading her innocence, and then making (mass murder) plans for the suitors.
Another feature was the smashing rocks that come after the sirens. I didn't understand when I read it that these rocks actually move back and forth and smash against each other. They are like ice bergs! This emphasizes the imaginary aspects of the geography, and which seems to help explain to me why the Laestrygonians live on what I can only conceive as a fjord.
And lastly, I couldn't help thinking about all the alternative stories that still work within this book. These are outside Vandiver's coverage, but it was listening about the book that led me to them. My favorite: same story, but unsaid, behind it, is that Penelope has found a lover without the resources of the suitors. The lover is, of course, a master liar and story teller, maybe even a bard. He arrives on the island with nothing and, as planned, convinces her son he is Odysseus, the father Telemachus never knew. Then, with Penelope's help, he convinces everyone else he really is Odysseus and kills anyone he can't convince. The slaves are all aptly rewarded to keep their mouth shut, some are even freed.