Rating: 
Summary: A great translation of a classic
Review: Unlike many epic poems (the Iliad, Beowulf), in which the bulk of the story focuses on the adventures and departure from home of the hero, the Odyssey focuses on going home. This theme of returning is one generally given scant attention in other epics--the homeward journey is usually mentioned briefly at the end to sort of wrap up the story. Not so with the Odyssey.
Of course, Odysseus's ultimate test comes in ridding his house of the suitors, and it seems as if everything else is preparatory to that end. With all the hardships he suffered at Troy, with all the difficulties in sailing for home, there remains one test for "the master tactician:" that of cleansing his own home.
It goes without saying that the Odyssey is a classic masterpiece, a wonderful story of a man fighting for survival and wanting to regain his lost life. This translation by Robert Fitzgerald is excellent. Like his translation of the Iliad, Fitzgerald does a wonderful job here of retaining much of the feeling of the poem. If you've never read this classic, its time you did. The Odyssey is captivating, from beginning to end.
Rating:
Summary: Ashamed
Review: We pay homage to the great Homer for his contribution to our literature by writing this. But frankly, epic verse sends me to sleep. I found the information on Fitzgerald very interesting, and his postscript on the difficulties of translation was thoroughly enjoyable. The poem itself is full of great imagery, and of course it's of immense cultural significance and historic import. Now I have to have another go at reading through this huge piece of work. Nudge me if I nod off...
Rating:
Summary: A Seminal Work of Grand Proportion
Review: No review of the world's great literature is complete without a reading of "The Odyssey", a dazzling and timeless tale of love, honor and courage told in spellbinding fashion. An amazing feat even today, but especially for its time, Homer's epic is a magnificent work to behold. Few works since have come close to capturing its sweeping drama and majesty. Place this masterpiece on your "A" list.
Rating: 
Summary: A beautiful and educational read
Review: I am not a scholar of classical studies and I probably missed a lot of the art in Odyssey, since, after all, this is only a translation. But I still found this book to be really beautiful and also fascinating. The beauty resides in its unexpected characters and events and in the way the whole thing is narrated in a very sensitive and poetical way. It has been said that the main topics in the Odyssey are universal (family, home, exile, treason) and this is certainly true. But reading Homer, we realize how much our civilization has evolved. In the Odyssey, we plunge back into a world dominated by the fantastic. Anything can happen and Odysseus' reality is the stuff of dreams and nightmares alike. Also and more interestingly, we go back to a world dominated entirely by Fate where humans barely have control of anything. The gods, in this pre-christian world, capriciously rule everyones' life according to their all too human moods. Humans, saved or doomed for reasons mostly beyond their control, are left to laugh and feast when things go well and to cry and mourn when tragedy strikes. What distinguishes the hero is his or her courage and determination in the face of inevitable adversity. Emotions is really what the Odyssey presents to us. Odysseus' oarsmen do a good deal of crying, actually they cry every time they are scared, and there is also a good deal of anger,despair, courage and hope. But above all, the Odyssey is about brave and uncomplicated human beings. When Odysseus finally comes home after twenty years, he goes to visit his father. He sees him from the distance, tending to his garden, and finds him very old, impoverished and tired. Odysseus leans on a pear tree, cries a little and only then proceeds to meet him. The two simple lines it takes to narrate this pause are straightforward and powerful. To sum it up, this is the wonderful story about us and our world long before we tried to understand it, to control it and to explain and over-explain it all. I guess the purity of action in Odysseus is what makes it a universal myth. For this reason only, to rediscover our original helpless condition and our potential courageous response to it, this book is a real gem.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful!
Review: Fitgerald's translation of the Odyssey is the most perfect and seamless translation I have ever read. The story of Odysseus is so vividly told, I often felt myself being whisked away to ancient Greece to battle the Cyclops or brave the churning waters of Charybdis. The style of writing is so descriptive and flawless, this translation makes an excellent addition to any collection of classical literature. Fitzgerald's proximity to the actual words of Homer, and his conformity to the Homeric style make this epic seem like a window into the ancient past. Though the verse translation may at times be confusing, my advice is to steer clear of the prose translations of the Odyssey. While they may be easier to read, many of the characteristics that constitute the text that is "Homer" are lost. If you're looking for a beautiful story filled with breathtaking narrative, Fitzgerald's translation is it!
Rating: 
Summary: the odyssey
Review: Imagine being driven by the gods to overcome many challenges. Well this is exactly what Odysseus did in the book The Odyssey. In the book Odysseus is stranded away from his home where his wife is being set up with a suitor. There are many suitors at the castle which is where Telamuchus, Odysseus's son, lives. Telamuchus is trying to find out what happened to his father along with his father's past. He goes and talks to his dad's old friends from the Trojan War, the last time anyone had seen him. In the book Odysseus is being guided by the gods who are taking human forms, and appearing in his dreams. The overall plot was great, had action, but really was predictable in the end. I would rate this book a 4 from 1-10. I gave this book a 4 because the wording was really hard to understand and it really took a group of four to understand one book. David Giamanco
Rating:
Summary: The Odyssey
Review: Ten years after the Trojan war is over, Odysseus is still not yet home. Back home in Ithaca, Odysseus' wife Penelope, and their son, Telemachus, are thinking maybe he's not going to come home. With no word of Odysseus' death, but no evidence of him still alive, Penelope cries herself to sleep everynight. It probably doesn't help that suitors are currently trying to bribe her into marrying them. While witnessing his mother's unhappiness, Telemachus decides to find out if his father is dead or alive. This book is the story of his quest to find his father.
This book was, without a doubt, one of a kind. The plot was well thought out, and was one that would not let you put the book down. I'm sure that in its time, this book was just that, one that you could not put down. It was hard for me to understand what was going on, because the language was different than the language I know. Once you found out what was going on, the book was intriging. There was too many characters, and I found it hard to keep track of who was who. I would recommend this book to someone who understands middle english, and someone who knows a lot about the Greek Gods. -Ashley Firl
Rating:
Summary: A VERY GOOD EPIC
Review: The Odyssey was one of the books I had to read in school. I got really into it because Homer used such a descriptive writing style. This is a great book to read if you like adventure and romance and revenge. This book was a very true story about Odysseus' travels home after the Trojan War, so it would also be in the Historic genre as well. I loved this book with all that there is and I recommend that you read it sometime in your life.
Rating:
Summary: What is in this book?
Review: I found the Odyssey a truly good book. Fitzgereld's translation is very easy to understand. I was dissapointed, however, that there were not many footnotes in the book. There was a long introduction and postlude. Another thing i liked was that the font was very easy to look at, it looked nice so i didn't have to strain my eyes.
Rating:
Summary: A Poetic Masterpiece
Review: The only thing better than Fitzgerald's translation is Homer's own words. Fitzgerald uncovers the art that Homer created and shows it in all its originial glory. It is truly amazing how Fitzgerald can take a piece written so long ago in a different culture and bring it alive for today's reader while still honoring the glory that was Homer's poetry. This is the only Odyssey!! So my advice is to read it the way it was meant to be read.
|
