Homer’s 12,000-line epic poem The Odyssey is back in the spotlight with this summer’s Hollywood release of filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s adaptation. As one of the most influential pieces of writing ever (inspiring everything from Dante’s Inferno to the Coen Brothers’ film O Brother, Where Art Thou? and more), the poem also has launched centuries of scholarship. 

Celsiana Warwick, assistant professor in the University of Iowa Department of Classics, explains why the ancient poem still feels strikingly modern — and what students and readers can learn from it today. Her forthcoming book, Gendered Voices in the Iliad, will be published by Oxford University Press in August.

How did you first encounter The Odyssey, and what about it stayed with you?

My mom actually read it to me when I was a kid. Before that, I had read a lot of children’s versions and mythology books, but she read me the full epic in the (Robert) Fitzgerald translation, which is more poetic. 

It reads very much like a modern novel. At its core, it’s about a man trying to get home to his family, which is an incredibly timeless premise. The relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, loss and reunion — those things still resonate. It’s also just a genuinely good adventure story, and that combination has helped it endure across time and cultures.

You’ve said The Odyssey feels more modern than many ancient texts. Why is that?

It reads much more like a novel — or even a film — than people often expect. It starts in the middle of the action, moves back and forth in time, and focuses heavily on visual detail and dialogue rather than interior monologue.

The poem was originally performed orally, so characters speak their thoughts out loud, which feels very immediate. Many people have noted how cinematic it is, even though it’s ancient. That structure has had an enormous influence on later European literature and storytelling.

There are many English translations of The Odyssey. How should new readers choose one?

The best translation is always the one you’ll actually read. Different readers want different things: some prefer contemporary language; others want something more poetic that reflects the original Greek verse.

Emily Wilson’s translation is a good starting point for many people because it’s very clear and accessible. I personally love Fitzgerald because of its poetic quality. There isn’t a single definitive translation — each translation is also an interpretation. That’s why I learned Greek. 

How do your students typically respond to this poem?

They quickly become emotionally invested. They debate whether they like Odysseus, whether they trust him, and whether they agree with his decisions. 

They also tend to say all the characters cry too much. At one point, Odysseus is sitting on the beach, crying. In ancient Greek literature, showing strong emotion is not a sign of weakness or femininity. And students also think Penelope cries too much. I think it’s helpful for them to see that our cultural norms today are not universal. 

Students often struggle with the double standard around fidelity, the depiction of slavery, and actions that feel morally disturbing today — as a modern reader, we want to be rooting for this guy. 

What do you think about the Hollywood adaptation of The Odyssey, and what impact do you think it will have?

I hope it’s good exposure for the poem. If people enjoy the movie and then explore the original text or take a classics class, that’s a win. The Odyssey lends itself well to adaptation — it’s visual, dramatic, and filled with monsters, romance, and suspense.

That said, any adaptation involves choices, and I’m sure I won’t agree with all of them. Many modern retellings leave out elements that are deeply upsetting to contemporary audiences. You can still tell the story without those aspects, and most films have done exactly that.

Is The Odyssey ultimately about the journey or the destination?

I think that in The Odyssey, the destination really is the destination. The fact that Odysseus spends half of the poem in his home city of Ithaca reinforces that. We as an audience tend to fixate on the monsters and the adventures, but that’s really just four books in a poem that has 24. So I don’t buy the interpretation that Odysseus really just wants to be traveling — I think he clearly does want to be home, and he keeps coming back. The poem is about the complexity of being there.