The Return of Ulysses: A Cultural History of Homer's Odyssey

by Edith Hall

2009 Outstanding Academic Title, Choice This broadly conceived and enlightening look at how Homer’s Odyssey has resonated in the West offers a thematic analysis of the poem’s impact on social and political ideas, institutions, and mores from the ancient world through the present day. Proving that the epic poem is timeless, Edith Hall identifies fifteen key themes in the Odyssey and uses them to illustrate the extensive and diverse effect that Homer’s work has had on all manner of inquiry, expression, and art. She traces the text’s pervasive thread of influence from the tragedies of classical Athens and the burlesque of Aristophanes to its contemporary artistic reinterpretations in literature, theatre, opera, popular music, film, and science fiction. In considering the mark of the Odyssey on the modern global world, Hall looks at how the poem affected colonialism and the frontier mentality in the American West, how it engendered contemporary attitudes toward sex, death, war, philosophy, violence, and race, and the ways in which the Odyssey forms the backbone of modern-day psychology. Accessibly written and timely, The Return of Ulysses establishes the Odyssey as the founding text of Western Civilization and offers a major contribution to the study of Homer’s epic poem, as well as modern insight into its cultural reception and continuing imprint on society.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Classics, Greece

304 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2008

Reviews

[Bernie4444 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s look at Ulysses as Edith Hall does.

There are a lot of authors and scholars that have insights on Ulysses that we mortals have no chance to stumble on. I am not going into any name-dropping here as they are mentioned in this book. The bibliography alone can fill a case in your library.

Edith has a fresh perspective in this copyright 2008 view of “The Return of Ulysses, A cultural History of Homer’s Odyssey.”

While reading this book you will need to keep a finger on the notes page as they are not footnotes. And keep your fingers crossed that you have read not only homer but quite a few other works as they are alluded to as if you are culturally literate.

What I can assure you is that you will find every page interesting and may have to stop periodically to think about what is being said. Even the few times that you can say “I know that” or “I figured that out” it is nice to see someone else saying the same thing in writing.

The bottom line is you can say that you looked at clouds from both sides now.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all know that the _Odyssey_ pervades Western culture, and Edith Hall explains why. From the heights of Joyce to the lowest porn, Homer is everywhere. What I found most fundamental about this book is Hall's grasp of her material (she seems to have read ever book, seen every movie, and researched every aspect of every culture for signs of Odysseus). What is most startling, though, is her restraint: she uses her sources poignantly, and doesn't attempt to bash us to death with references, that, considering the universality of her subject, would be an easy thing to do.

Also, check out Lapham's interview with Ms. Hall on Bloomberg- quite spectacular.

[Taylor Swift Scholar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tracks the cultural influence of the Odyssey through the ages, tracking how different themes have been either explicitly borrowed from the Odyssey or how the original has pervaded culture. While I found this book to be largely effective, there were chunks that I just skimmed, particularly when it would slip into just listing Odyssey adaptations.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic reference and overview, written in a fluid and engaging style. Super helpful for my research; I'm much in Dr. Hall's debt, especially because of her policy of making her work available online out of her laudable open-access policy.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice resource regarding the perennial appeal of one of the world's oldest stories.

[Candy Wood]

Parts of this book turn into little more than lists, but what lists--Hall shows how the Odyssey has influenced not only high-culture poems, plays, novels, and opera, but also more popular films, television, comic books, even video games. The thematic organization roughly follows the organization of the epic, beginning with considerations of myth, translation, metamorphoses, and narrative, through matters of colonization, gender, and class, to violence, sex, and death. Versions for children are mentioned but don't get much attention after Charles Lamb's 1808 one (which she says introduced James Joyce to the story). In fact, the versions by Rosemary Sutcliff and Adele Geras, named in the text, are not included in the extensive bibliography, but one book that is in the bibliography and was published by a children's division is not named in the text. Those are minor quibbles, though, about a readable and thought-provoking book. It should be useful to anyone teaching Homer to today's students.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fairly amazing treatment of the life of The Odyssey in western culture. It covers the territory from the original to the recent movie "Troy," and makes stops at the Cream's "Tales of Brave Ulysses," and a brief mention of an opera wherein the actors all play dogs barking about Ulysses return to Ithaca. Quite a survey, and quite entertaining.

[Jeanette 📚🦊🏹 justjeanettelee_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book only provided a few very interesting facts for my thesis, I found it thoroughly enjoyable to read.

Studying the Iliad and the Odyssey in depth, especially in regards to the female characters has truly been a trying, yet rewarding endeavour.

Would definitely recommend if you want to explore life after that fateful war.

[Peter Herrmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overwhelmed. Didn't finish ... because just too much info to take in. Decided I first need to read the actual Odyssey to better appreciate.
But her breadth and depth of erudition is phenomenal.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For academics only.