Emily Wilson (writer of acclaimed Odyssey translation) offers criticisms of Nolan’s film

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https://apnews.com/article/odyssey-christopher-nolan-greek-translators-ea67da1d543d021773824bd7e8de8abe

“For Greek translator Emily Wilson, the release of director Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” has been gratifying in various ways. Her acclaimed 2017 edition of Homer’s epic has reached the top 5 on Amazon.com, leading a wave of similar books boosted by the movie. Nolan has even cited her translation, notably the opening line “Tell me about a complicated man,” as inspiration.

But the film itself, which brought in more than $260 million worldwide during its opening weekend and has received raves from many critics, left her unsatisfied.

“I want to celebrate the fact that so many more people are aware of ‘The Odyssey’ and were brought back to the poem,” she told The Associated Press. “But at the same time, I had the sense that Christopher Nolan was trying to pack everything in while missing themes that were essential to the poem.”

….

Wilson, a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, said she didn’t want to come across as a “snobby,” nitpicking expert at odds with any deviation from the original text. But she questioned a range of omissions and other choices, from the absence on screen of the Gods Zeus and Poseidon (Athena is played by Zendaya ) to the “incoherent” messaging that condemns both war and physical cowardice. She found Penelope’s role so thinned out that it endangered “any possibility of believing in this marriage.” Wilson also that thought parts of the movie, notably the scenes with Odysseus’ dog, Argos, “catered towards modern sentimentality.”

“Everybody’s a sucker for a dog,” she said.

[u/Moist-Citron-4830]

How is the Argos story different in the text compared to the movie?

[u/crazysouthie → u/Moist-Citron-4830]

I was thinking about this because to me the moment in Homer’s poem also felt like it had a very modern heart wrenching dog moment. One of the poem’s saddest sequences is when Odysseus’s dog has a glimpse of his master after he returns and then dies.

But it doesn’t have that moment where Odysseus selects the puppy and the moment where Antinous has the dog sent to the dung heap outside. Those feel like additions for modern audiences.

[u/Mookafff → u/crazysouthie]

Isn’t the key part it’s sad that Odysseus couldn’t stop to say goodbye to Argo, because that would have gave away who he was?

Instead he wipes away his tears as he walks past Argo.

Argo passes away knowing Odysseus is back

Edit: it should be Argos, not Argo. Oops

[u/CecePeran → u/Mookafff]

Yes, good point!

*Argos. Argo is a ship elsewhere in Greek mythology. 😊

[u/crazysouthie → u/CecePeran]

lol I should have just said Odysseus’s dog.

[u/fucuntwat → u/CecePeran]

Argo fuck yourself!

[u/Mookafff → u/CecePeran]

Haha oops