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Title: The Odyssey by Homer, Robert Fitzgerald, D. S. Carne-Ross ISBN: 0-374-52574-9 Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux Pub. Date: 05 November, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $11.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.28 (72 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A Readable Classic
Comment: First and foremost, the Odyssey is a great tale. It is at heart an adventure story of Odysseus's return to his home after the 10 year Trojan War. Because Odysseus has upset the wrong god, he has to spend another 10 years journeying home. Meanwhile, suitors for his wife, Penelope's, hand have gathered at his home trying to win her heart, and, in the meantime, eating Odysseus out of house and home.
Homer picks up the tale in medias res (in the middle of things). Much of Odysseus's journey is told as a flashback, and it is wonderful to read of the adventures fighting a Cyclops, being lured by sirens, escaping witches, even having a brush with the underworld. Through it all, the book is still a tale of a family reuniting (although Odysseus is not the most faithful husband). There is even a heartbreaking scene when Odysseus sees his old dog again after being gone for 20 years.
Robert Fitzgerald's translation is just what one wants for the Odyssey. Fitzgerald stresses the poetry of Homer's epic poem. He also strives to make the book readable. I do not know ancient Greek, but it does not appear that Fitzgerald sacrifices much to achieve this. The book is still deep and rich, yet bubbling with life at the top.
If you are looking for more of a transliteration, Richard Lattimore's translation is probably closer to what you want.
Rating: 5
Summary: Homer Has It All
Comment: Robert Fitzgerald's poetic translation of Homer's ODYSSEY simply picked me up and carried me away when I first read it in the tenth grade. I did not expect something written thousands of years ago to have such colorful language and vivid images. Nor did I expect it to surpass anything I had read before as the greatest story ever told. Very few works have even matched it in my last 15 years of reading.
THE ODYSSEY is the prototypical journey tale of world literature. After ten years fighting and helping the Greeks win the Trojan War, Odysseus, King of Ithaka, offends the sea god Poseidon and is doomed to another ten years of wandering before being able to return to his wife, son, and homeland. He meets all manner of deadly obstacles and pleasant diversions along the way, but always in his mind is the desire for home. Virtually everything is in THE ODYSSEY: a son's coming-of-age without his father, a hero's escape from giant whirlpools, sexy sorceresses and the angry wine-dark sea, the most faithful wife in the history of literature, and that's just for starters.
Fitzgerald imposes no stylistic or rhythmic roadblocks, on the contrary, his poetry is smooth and his gift for bring us all the color and music of Homer is rich and deft. In my book, only Shakespeare and Tolstoy are in the same class as Homer, but the ancient one should be experienced first. Read THE ODYSSEY before or after THE ILIAD, but read it and enjoy.
Rating: 5
Summary: The oldest classic
Comment: Many people do not realize that Odyssey (and Iliad) is poetry. The English translation is quite awkward. The text is more than
2800 years old and ancient Greek was a highly structured language. It was much more complex than any other Western including the currently spoken Greek. The fact that readers find it compelling today proves its value. On the other hand it requires, from the reader, to understand the natural limitations of translating poetic story telling and also a level of culture. Considering this, the human-centric focus and the genius of Homer will become evident.
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Title: The Iliad by ROBERT FITZGERALD, Homer ISBN: 0385059418 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 28 June, 1989 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
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Title: The Aeneid by Virgil, ROBERT FITZGERALD ISBN: 0679729526 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 16 June, 1990 List Price(USD): $10.00 |
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Title: The Odyssey (Cliffs Notes) by Stanley P. Baldwin ISBN: 0764585991 Publisher: Cliffs Notes Pub. Date: 22 May, 2000 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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Title: ROMEO AND JULIET by William Shakespeare ISBN: 0671722859 Publisher: Washington Square Press Pub. Date: 01 August, 1992 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
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Title: The Aeneid by Robert Fitzgerald, Virgil ISBN: 0679413359 Publisher: Everyman's Library Pub. Date: 30 June, 1992 List Price(USD): $17.00 |
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