Homer's Odyssey Retold for Young Adults

De: Frank Hering

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

The Trojan War has been over for nine years, yet Odysseus, one of its greatest heroes, is still trying to return home to his wife and son. Along the way, he faces the cyclops Polyphemus, the witch Circe, the rage of the sea god Poseidon, and the passage between the six-headed monster Scylla and the whirlpool Charybdis. Once home, he must defeat the suitors, young men who are courting his wife and taking over his house. He must conquer them all to reclaim his position as the paramount chieftain of Ithaca. Over 2,700 years ago, the Ancient Greek epic called the Odyssey chronicled this hero’s quest to return home. The story continues to fascinate us. Homer’s Odyssey Retold for Young Adults offers a faithful retelling of the myth in contemporary English. This book makes the Odyssey accessible to readers unfamiliar with the grand poetic style and length of ancient epic. The author preserves the order of the original but shortens sections where readers often get bogged down. Descriptions seek to clarify parts that can be difficult to visualize. The occasional inclusion of oft-used phrases from epic poetry helps to preserve the tone and atmosphere of the original. The book includes discussion questions to help readers think about themes, characters, and literary techniques. It also includes an extensive glossary of the characters with the pronunciation of their names. In addition to being useful to junior high, high school, and college students, general readers who want a short version of the Odyssey will find the book very enjoyable.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Frank Hering earned his B.A. in English from the University of Chicago and his M.A. and Ph.D. in English from the University of Florida. For twenty years, he frequently taught the Odyssey to high school students. He is also the author of Virgil’s Aeneid Retold for Young Adults.