Written by Zachary Mason, The Lost Books of the Odyssey contains many different alternate scenarios of the classic odyssey myths. There were portions of the book so short that I felt they either needed to be cut or be expanded upon, as a half page doesn’t constitute a chapter. There were also a handful of concepts that I felt missed the mark, or were strangely crafted. However, I did appreciate that not every chapter was written revolving around the exact same characters. For instance, one chapter revolves around the cyclops that Odysseus blinds, and retells the myth from another perspective. This made characters other than Odysseus more sympathetic, and revealed how nuanced many situations are. The characters also appeared more fleshed out, as different chapters explored different facets of each character’s personalities.
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In the book House of Names, Colm Toibin tells a modern day adaptation of The Oresteia. Overall, this version of the original Greek mythology captured my attention the most, as it details many aspects in a more character-focused narrative than other works. I was able to sympathize with Clytemnestra through this novel-- despite not agreeing with her actions-- as opposed to her being reduced to a backstabbing target that’s being set only for Orestes to seek revenge against. Orestes was also very humanized, as he’s being manipulated to perform many actions others don’t wish to do firsthand.
This work also allowed me to realize how morally gray many concepts within the myth are. Cyclical killing, or revenge killing, is a morally dubious yet intriguing notion, as it never seems to end. Hatred fosters more hatred, with each party believing themself to be in the right; it seems to be easier to hate than forgive. Of course, murder isn’t a forgivable crime, but then, how does one go about stopping such a vicious cycle? A compromise would be a suggestible idea for any other conflict, or some form of a treaty. However, that doesn’t rid people of their negative emotions towards others, and might cause them to eventually lash out again. In the least conflicting scenario, an outside force might happen to intervene, thus being a neutral third party to call judgement upon the others. Yet, this third party will inevitably hold their own biases. This concept may not have one definite solution, but it is worth pondering. Another concept that weighed on me after this reading was that of manipulation. Orestes is manipulated by Electra into killing Clytemnestra, as she still seeks power, and would be unfit for a high-ranking position should she commit such a crime. While not to the same degree, many other people have been manipulated within their lifetime. It is a condemnable action, yet many seek to do so for their own benefit, not caring what becomes of the other person, or how it might affect them. This concept ties into the roots of corruption, which is prevalent worldwide. Although that notion in itself is rather large and overarching, it’s important to be skeptical of others' motivations. |
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