If you’re going to see Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, or you’ve already seen it, there’s a much bigger story behind the film. In this conversation I talk to Dr. Joel Christensen, Professor of Classics at the City University of New York Graduate Center, and author of the book ' Why Odysseus?Survivor, Scoundrel, (Anti) Hero.' We talk about the ancient Odysseus, the brilliant strategist, liar, trickster, survivor and deeply complicated hero at the centre of Homer’s Odyssey. Nolan’s film brings this ancient story to a modern audience, but Homer’s Odysseus is very different from a straightforward Hollywood hero. He is courageous and resourceful, but he is also manipulative, deceptive and capable of making disastrous choices. His greatest weapon isn't strength, it’s his ability to adapt, persuade and think his way out of impossible situations. Joel explains what the film can and can’t tell us about Homer’s original story, why the Odyssey is much more than an adventure about getting home, and why Odysseus remains such a compelling character more than 2,500 years later. In this episode Who was the real Odysseus? And why was he so different from heroes like Achilles?Why the ancient idea of a “hero” is very different from our modern understanding of one.The Odyssey as a story of survival, and the price that survival can carry.Odysseus, the Trojan Horse and his extraordinary gift for deception and adaptability.Whether Odysseus is responsible for the deaths of his men mand how Homer explores blame, responsibility and human agency.Why simply reaching Ithaca isn't enough: what does it actually mean to come home?The Odyssey's fascination with family, community and the damage heroic behaviour can leave behind.Why Odysseus can be seen as an ancient version of the modern antihero.What Walter White from Breaking Bad can tell us about Odysseus and our fascination with complicated characters.How Christopher Nolan's interpretation changes our understanding of Odysseus.Why Nolan's Odysseus appears more traumatised and guilt-ridden than Homer's.The fascinating difference between Homer's Odysseus and the hero modern audiences may want him to be.What polytropos, “the man of many ways," reveals about Odysseus.The meaning of nostos, the ancient idea of homecoming from which our word “nostalgia” ultimately derives.Why the Odyssey was originally a performed song rather than a modern-style book.How Joel's own experiences of fatherhood, loss and family changed the way he understood Homer's story.Beyond the film One of the most interesting questions in the conversation is whether we actually like Odysseus. Joel's answer is complicated. For him, Odysseus is less a hero to admire than a face in the mirror: a character who forces us to confront compromise, bad decisions, persistence and the things people do to survive. The ancient poem isn't simply about monsters, gods and an extraordinary journey across the sea. It's about what happens to a person after war, what survival costs, whether returning home can make someone whole again, and how much of ourselves we are willing to compromise along the way. About Dr. Joel Christensen Dr. Joel Christensen is Professor of Classics at the City University of New York Graduate Center. He is a scholar of Homer and Greek epic and the author of Odysseus: Survivor, Scoundrel, and Antihero. If you haven't read The Odyssey, Joel recommends getting familiar with the main characters first, then exploring different versions of the story rather than assuming there is one single “correct” Odyssey. He also recommends Gareth Hinds' graphic novel adaptation as an accessible introduction to the story. This version deliberately doesn't give away Nolan's film plot, so it can work both as a companion for people who have seen it and as an introduction for people planning to see it. Links Book: ' Why Odysseus?Survivor, Scoundrel, (Anti) Hero.' Question or comment? Send us a text message. www.undercurrentstories.com
