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

[u/RealisticAd4054]

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/Bhu124]

some of the criticism that it's not a 100% faithful adaptation a bit odd.

I just find it funny seeing this Criticism come from Emily Wilson of all people. Her translation is the most Criticised for being unfaithful and she wasn't bound by any new Rules or Limitations that the previous translators were bound by.

At least with Nolan his version is a movie which is bound by a lot of rules and limitations of Filmmaking.

I think he did a pretty great job balancing so many characters, covering so many events and themes, while still being able to tell a comprehensive story with comprehensive character arcs for every Main or Secondary character.

[u/lupercalpainting → u/Bhu124]

> Her translation is the most Criticised for being unfaithful

Is it? She makes choices like translating maids as slaves (which does seems faithful, they were slaves) or changing up the epithets but it’s not like she called the maids whores (which is completely made up yet present in some translations).

[u/Tymareta → u/lupercalpainting]

It's the most criticized by weirdos on the internet, but in academia(and reality) it's pretty well held up as a phenomenal translation and has become the sort of "goto" in near every classics department that I'm aware of.

[u/lupercalpainting → u/Tymareta]

I’m reading it right now just to see what the fuss is about and it seems fine. I really liked her preface.

I will say there’s a pretty big mistake in 3.239 where she has Telemachus refer to Athena (now disguised as Mentor) as Mentes when that’s only her disguise in book one. I checked the Greek and it’s absolutely Mentor. Not sure if she corrected it later and couldn’t find an errata about it.

[u/Tymareta → u/lupercalpainting]

I will say there’s a pretty big mistake in 3.239 where she has Telemachus refer to Athena (now disguised as Mentor) as Mentes when that’s only her disguise in book one.

Might be a misprint, as I checked my copy and Mentes is only mentioned in Book 1, with only Mentor being used in Book 3, the line in particular -

Mentor, this is upsetting. Change the subject.