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The Odyssey
A Norton Critical Edition
Series: Norton Critical Editions
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Format: Paperback / softback
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“A revelation. Never have I been so aware at once of the beauty of the poetry, the physicality of Homer’s world, and the moral ambiguity of those who inhabit it.” —Susan Chira, The New York Times Book Review, “New & Noteworthy"
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Description
This Norton Critical Edition includes:
- Emily Wilson's authoritative translation of Homer's masterpiece, accompanied by her informative introduction, explanatory footnotes, and book-by-book summaries.
- Four maps, created especially for this translation.
- Contextual materials including sources and analogues by Homer, Sappho, Pindar, and others. Also included are carefully chosen passages from (mainly) ancient texts that provide insight into The Odyssey and its reception by Plato, Aristotle, Ovid, Pseudo-Longinus, Lucian, Apollodorus, Heraclitus, Porphyry, Proclus, Hyginus, Dante Alighieri, Alfred Lord Tennyson, C. P. Cavafy, Derek Walcott, and Margaret Atwood.
- Five critical essays addressing key topics—composition; representation of religion and the gods; class and slavery; gender; and more—essential to the study of The Odyssey. Essays by Laurel Fulkerson, Laura M. Slatkin, Patrice Rankine, Helene P. Foley, and Egbert J. Bakker are included.
- A glossary and a list of suggested further readings.
About the Series
Read by more than 12 million students over fifty-five years, Norton Critical Editions set the standard for apparatus that is right for undergraduate readers. The three-part format—annotated text, contexts, and criticism—helps students to better understand, analyse, and appreciate the literature, while opening a wide range of teaching possibilities for instructors. Whether in print or in digital format, Norton Critical Editions provide all the resources students need.
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
The Odyssey by Homer is praised for its timeless narrative and complex characters, offering readers an epic tale of adventure, loyalty, and heroism. Reviewers often highlight its rich poetic language and the depth of its mythical world, making it a staple in both classical literature studies and modern literary enjoyment. Many appreciate its continued relevance, noting how its themes resonate with contemporary issues and personal odysseys.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780393655063
Publisher: WW Norton & Co
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 22 September 2020
Country: United States
Imprint: WW Norton & Co
Edition: Critical edition
Contributors:
- Translated by Emily Wilson
- Translated by Emily Wilson
Audience: Tertiary education
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 15.0mm
Width: 145.0mm
Height: 234.0mm
Weight: 407g
Pages: 512
About the Author
HOMER’s identity is shrouded in mystery. Most scholars agree that an epic poet named Homer likely existed anywhere between 900 to 700 B.C.E. Legend, originating in antiquity, says that Homer was a blind bard from Ionia, but no account of Homer’s life can be verified. The Iliad and The Odyssey, the two epic poems attributed to Homer, which take place during the Trojan War and its aftermath, were derived from the oral storytelling tradition. Their method of composition—either by a single author or several bards working in tandem—remains unknown. The Homeric Poems are among the most significant narratives in the Greek and Western literary canon. Emily Wilson is a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She has been named a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome in Renaissance and early modern studies, a MacArthur Fellow, and a Guggenheim Fellow. In addition to Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, she has also published translations of Sophocles, Euripides, and Seneca. She lives in Philadelphia.
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