Like its protagonist, “The Odyssey” has made a heroic journey through history, influencing untold creatives and providing scholars with boundless material for dissecting and teaching.
Composed in the 8th or 7th century BCE, the work is one of two ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It details the journey of Odysseus, the legendary king of Ithaca, as he ventures back to his home following the Trojan War; its companion poem and predecessor, “The Iliad,” delves into the story of that war’s final year.
Three Penn Arts & Sciences faculty who teach Homer discuss the work’s enduring significance: Emily Wilson, College for Women Class of 1963 Term Professor in the Humanities and acclaimed “Odyssey” and “Iliad” translator; Scott Francis, associate professor of French and Francophone, Italian, and Germanic studies; and Sheila (Bridget) Murnaghan, Alfred Reginald Allen Memorial Professor of Greek.
“There is a definite historical lineage that goes from “The Odyssey” through what’s traditionally described as Western literature, but the work really gives you opportunities for a critical and anti-elitist vision of the Western literary tradition,” says Murnaghan.
“The influence of Homer is so inescapable that you find it in places you sometimes wouldn’t expect. In the French novel “La Planète des Singes,” by Pierre Boulle (which was made into the famous movie “Planet of the Apes”), the main character is named Ulysse Mérou, Ulysse being the Latinized version of Odysseus and Mérou being Homère, the French name for Homer, kind of pronounced backwards. It’s Boulle’s very explicit nod to Homer,” explains Francis.
This summer, a big-budget version of “The Odyssey” hits theaters. “I don’t think there’s just one way to reinvent The Odyssey; that’s part of why it’s been interesting to so many people for so long,” says Wilson. “In the end, if a new movie gets people curious about the ancient world, it’s a win.”
When the Schuylkill swallowed the city: Lessons from Hurricane Ida’s historic flood
New Penn research shows that Hurricane Ida wasn’t a once-in-a-century anomaly but a preview of how climate change, urbanization, and aging infrastructure are rewriting flood risk.
The Fed explained: What it does and why it matters
Former Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker and financial historian Peter Conti-Brown, both Wharton professors, unpack the central bank’s origins, its unusual structure, and the quiet ways it shapes the economy
How population changes are impacting primary education worldwide
Research from Penn sociologist Emily Hannum and colleagues reveals regional trends in whether school-age populations are increasing, plateauing, or decreasing—and shows how different countries are responding.
A bioengineered bean gum from the lab of Penn Dental’s Henry Daniell is found to reduce the levels of three microbes associated with head and neck squamous cell cancer to almost zero, without affecting the beneficial bacteria normally found in the mouth.
Fighting oral cancer with bioengineered chewing gum
Research led by Penn Dental’s Henry Daniell shows that antiviral and antibacterial chewing gums reduce the levels of three microbes linked to worse outcomes in oral cancers, paving the way for more effective and affordable therapies.
