The Odyssey: The epic journey of Odysseus explained

With Christopher Nolan’s epic hitting the big screen, there couldn’t be a better time to introduce the story of The Odyssey to a new audience.

The journey home

Essentially, it’s the tale of ancient Greek warrior Odysseus and his attempt to return home to the island of Ithaca, following the Siege of Troy (of Trojan Horse fame). Many obstacles stand in his way, including a sorceress who turns his crew into pigs, cannibalistic giants, blood-drinking ghosts, deadly sirens and a six-headed sea serpent.

A hero who uses his wits

Luckily, Odysseus isn’t your average muscle-bound bruiser. He uses brain as well as brawn to solve the problems he encounters. Unlike the unpredictable collection of gods who work both for and against him, he has no superpowers. He must use his wits to deal with events.

This, together with an unbreakable desire to be reunited with his wife Penelope, sees him through a seemingly never-ending stream of ordeals. It’s a story of loyalty, devotion, and perseverance against the odds. If most of us suffered not one, but two shipwrecks, we could be forgiven for calling it a day. Not Odysseus. He may get knocked down, but the man from Ithaca keeps getting up again.

The story behind The Odyssey

This thrilling tale of gods and monsters was first told over 2,500 years ago. ‘Told’ is the key word here, as most people believe that the story was passed on by word of mouth over a period of 300 years. It’s usually credited to a Greek author named Homer.

This may just be a name invented to cover all the various tellers of the tale down the centuries. Some accounts say Homer was a blind poet from Ionia, now part of Turkey, but there’s not much hard evidence to support this.

A timeless epic

Whatever the saga’s origins, since it was first told, The Odyssey has inspired some of the most famous works of literature, art and music. It’s also been adapted many times for the movies, but this latest version looks set to be the most successful yet.

If it leaves you longing for more, then check out the variety of exciting retellings available from Usborne. Ithaca—here we come! (Just don’t get on the wrong side of the god Poseidon – it never ends well.)