revisioning homer in the new world. what in homer appeals to contemporary authors? the iliad and...
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Revisioning Homer Revisioning Homer in the in the
New WorldNew World
What in Homer appeals to What in Homer appeals to contemporary authors?contemporary authors?
The Iliad The Iliad and and The OdysseyThe Odyssey are cornerstones of are cornerstones of Western literary traditionsWestern literary traditions
""The IliadThe Iliad and and The OdysseyThe Odyssey have been read by have been read by such a vast diversity of men because they are such a vast diversity of men because they are unitary works of art and deal with universal unitary works of art and deal with universal experience with unsurpassed depth, breadth, experience with unsurpassed depth, breadth, and intensity." (Kenneth Rexroth) and intensity." (Kenneth Rexroth)
The Iliad: The Iliad: the horrors of war and dangers of the horrors of war and dangers of ragerage
The Odyssey: The Odyssey: the longing for home and the longing for home and necessity for resocializationnecessity for resocialization
The IliadThe Iliad Reveals how making Reveals how making
heroic valor a culture’s heroic valor a culture’s prime value is prime value is fundamentally destructive fundamentally destructive to social order and to social order and humane communityhumane community
The first word in the The first word in the poem is poem is menin: rage The rage of Achilles Rage as the hero and
subject of the poem Rage that transforms
Achilles into a killing machine and Hector into a corpse
A War among 3 CulturesA War among 3 Cultures
The Achaeans: The GreeksThe Achaeans: The Greeks
The TrojansThe Trojans
The Olympian GodsThe Olympian Gods
OlympiansOlympians
Portrayed by Homer as an imperial courtPortrayed by Homer as an imperial courtMeddle in the affairs of humanityMeddle in the affairs of humanityFunction as conceptual forces of nature and the Function as conceptual forces of nature and the
psychepsycheAphrodite – lustAphrodite – lustAres – war rageAres – war rageAthena – cunning strategyAthena – cunning strategy
The TrojansThe Trojans Bronze Age, pre-Greek Bronze Age, pre-Greek city state, conceive of city state, conceive of themselves as members themselves as members of the family of Troyof the family of Troy
Although they Although they disapprove of Paris, disapprove of Paris, they unite in familial they unite in familial responsibility and responsibility and assume his guilt in an assume his guilt in an act of collective family act of collective family responsibility -- "our lot responsibility -- "our lot is best, to fight for our is best, to fight for our country” -- doomed country” -- doomed
David, Helen and Paris, 1788
The Trojan The Trojan FamilyFamily
King Priam and King Priam and Queen HecubaQueen Hecuba
Hector and Hector and AndromacheAndromache
Paris and Paris and HelenHelen
Cassandra Cassandra
Priam and Hecuba plead with Achilles for the body of Hector
Giorgio de Chirico. Hector and Andromache. 1917. Oil on canvas. Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Rome, Italy
Hector and Hector and AndromacheAndromache Hector is the
greatest hero in and primary protector of Troy
With their son Astyanax, Hector and Andromache represent Troy’s future
Helen – Helen – seductress or rape victim?seductress or rape victim?
daughter of Zeus and Leda the wife of Tyndareus, co-King of Sparta
Abducted by Thesesus, King of Athens
Married to Menelaus, King of Sparta
Abducted by the Trojan prince Paris
"the face that launched a thousand ships."
Helen of Troy by Evelyn de Morgan, 1898
H. D. [Hilda Doolittle] Helen All Greece hatesthe still eyes in the white face,the lustre as of oliveswhere she stands,and the white hands. All Greece revilesthe wan face when she smiles,hating it deeper stillwhen it grows wan and white,remembering past enchantmentsand past ills. Greece sees unmoved,God's daughter, born of love,the beauty of cool feetand slenderest knees,could love indeed the maid,only if she were laid,white ash amid funereal cypresses.
The Achaeans -- GreeksThe Achaeans -- Greeks
Historically piratical Historically piratical Barbaric chieftains whose prized values of Barbaric chieftains whose prized values of
nobility, pride, power, glamour, and strength nobility, pride, power, glamour, and strength thrive only among violence thrive only among violence
Each hero is out for himself -- failure provokes Each hero is out for himself -- failure provokes shame rather than assumption of responsibility -- shame rather than assumption of responsibility -- leads to disorder and tragedyleads to disorder and tragedy
Allied together against Trojans only because of Allied together against Trojans only because of pact made with the wooing of Helenpact made with the wooing of Helen
The HeroesThe Heroes
AgamemnonAgamemnon – “monarch of men” – “monarch of men”
AchillesAchilles – “fleet-footed Achilles” – “fleet-footed Achilles”
OdysseusOdysseus – “wily Odysseus” – “wily Odysseus”
OdysseusOdysseus
King of IthacaKing of Ithaca
Major StrategistMajor Strategist
Conceived the Trojan Conceived the Trojan HorseHorse
Husband to PenelopeHusband to Penelope
THE ODYSSEYTHE ODYSSEY
A hero, drunk on A hero, drunk on hubris, hubris, cannot cannot find his way home until he find his way home until he confronts his mortality and confronts his mortality and acknowledges the feminine.acknowledges the feminine.
The females of The females of The OdysseyThe Odyssey AthenaAthena, goddess of wisdom, Odysseus’ protector, goddess of wisdom, Odysseus’ protector CalypsoCalypso, sea nymph who captivated him for 7 years, sea nymph who captivated him for 7 years NausicaaNausicaa, Phaecian princess, daughter of King , Phaecian princess, daughter of King
Alcinous and Queen AreteAlcinous and Queen Arete CirceCirce, sorceress , sorceress The SirensThe Sirens,, fatal allurefatal allureAnticleiaAnticleia, Odysseus’ mother whom he visits in the , Odysseus’ mother whom he visits in the
UnderworldUnderworld EurycleiaEurycleia, Odysseus’ nurse, Odysseus’ nurse PenelopePenelope, Odysseus’ wife, Odysseus’ wife
CirceCirce Sorceress who Sorceress who
wields power wields power equal to equal to OdysseusOdysseus
Legend has that Legend has that she bore 1-3 she bore 1-3 sons to Odysseussons to Odysseus
Advised him to Advised him to visit the visit the Underworld and Underworld and how to avoid how to avoid Sirens’ trapSirens’ trap
Circe, Alessandro AlloriFresco, 1580
Atwood’s earlier interest in HomerAtwood’s earlier interest in Homer
““Helen of Troy Does Countertop Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing”Dancing”
My mother was raped by a holy swan.You believe that? You can take me out to dinner. That's what we tell all the husbands.There sure are a lot of dangerous birds around.
““Circe: Mud Poems”Circe: Mud Poems”
One day you simply appeared in One day you simply appeared in your stupid boat,your stupid boat,
your killer’s hand, your your killer’s hand, your disjointed body, jagged as a disjointed body, jagged as a shipwreck,shipwreck,
skinny-ribbed, blue-eyed, skinny-ribbed, blue-eyed, scorched, thirsty, the usual,scorched, thirsty, the usual,
pretending to be – what? a pretending to be – what? a survivor?survivor?
19741974
Penelope brooding over her loom by Max Klinger. 1895 Colour etching and aquatint. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
The PenelopiadThe Penelopiad (2005) (2005) “ “Now that Now that
I’m dead, I I’m dead, I know know everything”everything”
“ “Don’t Don’t follow my follow my example!”example!”
Is she a Is she a reliable reliable narrator?narrator?
PenelopePenelope Daughter of Icarius, co-king Daughter of Icarius, co-king of Sparta and a naiadof Sparta and a naiad
Helen’s cousinHelen’s cousin Mother’s advice:Mother’s advice:
““Water does not resist. Water Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, always goes where it wants to go, and nothing, in the end can stand and nothing, in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. Remember you are half water. If you can’t go through an If you can’t go through an obstacle, go around it. Water obstacle, go around it. Water does.”does.”
Penelope and Telemachos. Attic red figure, c. 450 BC
Mother-Son tensionsMother-Son tensions
The Fate of The Fate of Penelope’s 12 maidsPenelope’s 12 maids
Voices act as a chorus to punctuate Penelope’s narration
Variety of formats nursery rhyme popular song sea shanty ballad drama lecture trial love song
Telemachos executes the maidservants, 1973, Dame Elizabeth Frink (1930 - 1993), Tate Gallery
we are the maidsthe ones you killedthe ones you failed
we danced in airour bare feet twitchedit was not fair
with every goddess, queen and bitchfrom there to hereyou scratched your itch we did much lessthan what you didyou judged us bad ….
we danced on airthe ones you failedthe ones you killed
Cold Mountain Cold Mountain (1997)(1997)The last days of the Civil WarThe last days of the Civil War
The Union The Union – emerging industrialists– emerging industrialists
The Confederacy The Confederacy – plantation slave-holders– plantation slave-holders
Scots descendants Scots descendants – independent farmers– independent farmers
Cold Mountain: Cold Mountain: the filmthe film (1997)(1997)adapted and directed by Anthony Minghella. Starred Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renée Zellweger
InmanInman
Ada Monroe Ada Monroe – minister’s daughter– minister’s daughter
Ruby Thewes Ruby Thewes – maiden-of-all trades– maiden-of-all trades
Stobrod ThewesStobrod Thewes – her father – her father
Teague Teague – leader of Confederate Home – leader of Confederate Home GuardGuard
Sally Swanger Sally Swanger – wise old neighbor– wise old neighbor
Maddy Maddy – goat woman, healer– goat woman, healer
Joel and Ethan Coen
The Soggy Bottom BoysThe Soggy Bottom Boys
Penny, Ulysses Everett’s wife and mother of Penny, Ulysses Everett’s wife and mother of his six (soon-to-be seven daughters)his six (soon-to-be seven daughters)
Omeros Omeros by Derek Walcott (1990)by Derek Walcott (1990) Nobel Prize for Literature 1992Nobel Prize for Literature 1992 The first post-colonial epicThe first post-colonial epicWritten in 3 line stanzas of iambic hexameter – Written in 3 line stanzas of iambic hexameter –
reminiscent of both Homer and Dantereminiscent of both Homer and DanteOmerosOmeros is both is both The Iliad The Iliad and and The Odyssey The Odyssey of the of the
West Indies, but also of the Americas.West Indies, but also of the Americas.It is a book of memoryIt is a book of memory – – the Odysseus-like the Odysseus-like
narrator seeks to come home to the West narrator seeks to come home to the West Indian/American culture bred from a history of Indian/American culture bred from a history of conquest and empireconquest and empirefreedom and slaveryfreedom and slaveryemigration and forced removal (the Trail of Tears)emigration and forced removal (the Trail of Tears)imagination and passionimagination and passionbirth and deathbirth and death
St. LuciaSt. LuciaThe Antilles The Antilles
Conflict and Negotiation among Conflict and Negotiation among 3 cultures3 cultures
Indigenous tribesIndigenous tribes
EuropeansEuropeans
St. Lucians -- Afro-CaribbeanSt. Lucians -- Afro-Caribbean
Indigenous TribesIndigenous TribesArawaks:Arawaks: the gods and tribes of the trees – the gods and tribes of the trees –
language of the Taino people who first language of the Taino people who first encountered Columbusencountered Columbus
Caribs:Caribs: reputed to be the fierce and reputed to be the fierce and aggressive tribes – raided the Tainosaggressive tribes – raided the Tainosskilled boatbuilders and sailorsskilled boatbuilders and sailorssurvived colonialism in Dominica, St. Vincent, survived colonialism in Dominica, St. Vincent,
St. Lucia and TrinidadSt. Lucia and Trinidadsource of the word for cannibal source of the word for cannibal
Plains Indians: Plains Indians: Ghost Dance Ghost Dance
These were their pillars that fell, leaving a blue spaceThese were their pillars that fell, leaving a blue spaceFor a single God where the old gods stood before.For a single God where the old gods stood before.The first god was a gommier….The first god was a gommier….
The bearded elders endured the decimationThe bearded elders endured the decimationOf their tribe with uttering a syllableOf their tribe with uttering a syllableOf that language they had uttered as one nation,Of that language they had uttered as one nation,
The speech taught their saplings: from the towering babbleThe speech taught their saplings: from the towering babbleOf the cedar to green vowels on Of the cedar to green vowels on bois-campbois-campêêche….che….
……The gods were down at last.The gods were down at last.
Like pygmies they hacked the trunks of wrinkled giantsLike pygmies they hacked the trunks of wrinkled giantsFor paddles and oars. The were working with the same For paddles and oars. The were working with the same Concentration as an army of fire ants.Concentration as an army of fire ants.
Arawaks FishermenArawaks Fishermen
The EuropeansThe Europeans
Dennis PlunkettDennis Plunkett, retired English Major, , retired English Major, WWII veteran, pig farmer, history buffWWII veteran, pig farmer, history buff
Maud PlunkettMaud Plunkett, his wife, stitcher of a quilt , his wife, stitcher of a quilt with the birds of the islandwith the birds of the island
Midshipman PlunkettMidshipman Plunkett, participant in the , participant in the “Battle of the Saints” between France in “Battle of the Saints” between France in England in the 18England in the 18thth c. c.
James JoyceJames Joyce, author of , author of UlyssesUlyssesCatherine WeldonCatherine Weldon, witness to the Ghost , witness to the Ghost
Dance at Wounded KneeDance at Wounded Knee
Cove at Sunsrise, 1998
O-MER-OSO-MER-OSO – O – the sound blown through a conchthe sound blown through a conchmer mer – the sea– the seamere -- mothermere -- mother
St. LuciansSt. Lucians
HectorHector AchilleAchille HelenHelen Ma KilmanMa Kilman Seven SeasSeven Seas
The NarratorThe Narrator
Derek Walcott, 1998Ideal Head: Helen/Omeros
HelenHelen
(under French (under French control, St. control, St. Lucia was Lucia was Known as Known as Helena)Helena)
Achille, Achille, the fisherman the fisherman abandoned by Helen, abandoned by Helen, sails far out to sea and sails far out to sea and undergoes a visionary undergoes a visionary odyssey to his odyssey to his ancestral African ancestral African homelandhomeland
Hector,Hector,gives up fishing gives up fishing to drive a taxito drive a taxi
T.S. Eliot: “what happens when a T.S. Eliot: “what happens when a new work of art is created is new work of art is created is something that happens something that happens simltaneously to all the works of art simltaneously to all the works of art which preceded it. The existing which preceded it. The existing monuments form an ideal order monuments form an ideal order among themselves, which modified among themselves, which modified by the introduction of the new (the by the introduction of the new (the really new) work of art among really new) work of art among them.”them.”