The story of “The Odyssey” has been in the spotlight for years, and capturing the tale of Odysseus’ story makes literary scholars and popular media attached to its storyline.
David Welch, an instructor in the modern languages and classics department, said that even though students read both “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey,” they prefer the latter.
The epic journey, written by Homer in the seventh century B.C.E., follows Odysseus through his trip home after the Trojan War. He faces hardships such as a cyclops, Greek gods and suitors for his wife in his home when he returns.
“It’s easy to sympathize with someone who is struggling to get back to normalcy and get back home after being at war for so long,” said Hope Tenca, a sophomore anthropology major. “It is easy to see him as a protagonist.”
Welch said that though “The Iliad” was more popular before the 21st century due to the topics of war, the shift to “The Odyssey” came from people relating more to the journey Odysseus goes through.
While “The Iliad,” which follows Achilles in the Trojan War, does have adaptations, such as the book “The Song of Achilles” and the movie “Troy,” Welch said that it is more difficult to add a creative twist to the book.
“It’s a weird chunk in the middle of a war, and so it’s difficult to adapt to,” Welch said. “The problem with ‘The Iliad’ is — I don’t think most people know this — it takes place over a 50-day span in the ninth year of the Trojan War. It’s really difficult to make a movie nine years into a conflict.”
There have not been any direct adaptations of “The Odyssey” in film, however, there are movies that are loosely inspired by the journey. Welch said “O Brother Where Art Thou” captures the mood the best.
“The fact that Odysseus is going around hanging out with a bunch of people and going to a bunch of different places is more entertaining,” Welch said. “I saw somebody recently call it ‘the first ever road trip story.’”
He also said he is excited about Christopher Nolan’s upcoming movie “The Odyssey” and is expecting Nolan to make a direct adaptation of the original story.
The movie is expected to come out in 2026 with Tom Holland, Zendaya and Anne Hathaway as leads.
Another film, “The Return,” which was released on Dec. 6, 2024, focuses on Odysseus’ return to Ithaca and his facing the suitors in his home.
“The thing about ‘The Odyssey’ is it’s trying to capture the feeling of being lost and being in the unfamiliar,” Welch said. “As humans, giving us unfamiliar visuals helps get that point across better.”
Another recent adaptation of the book, which started gaining popularity in 2023, is the “EPIC: Thepic Musical,” by Jorge River-Herrans.
Herranis’ musical follows Odysseus’ journey through multiple “sagas” and retells the book in songs, with multiple voice actors for each character. He had also commissioned animation artists to match the musical with visuals.
Tenca said the story is best told through animation, to grasp the visuals of magic and human expression in the book.
“When you have such a complete story that survives to the modern day, it is easy to hang on to,” Tenca said. “It sticks with you because it’s given to you since childhood. It’s a good jumping off point if you want any inspiration.”
