This essay contrasts and compares "Odysseus to Telemachus," a modern poetry by Joseph Brodsky, with "The Odyssey," the original epic poem by Homer. By highlighting the themes that emerged in the writings of the two authors, it aims to evaluate how Homer's material was used in the latter remake. The essay also discusses the contextual meanings and consequences of the contemporary poem for the original epic.
While the original "The Odyssey" pays homage to the ancient Greek way of life, "Odysseus to Telemachus" is a monologue written in Odyssey's own style. This is evident in the means which Homer explores the Greek values of strength and cleverness while relying on Odysseus’ destined quest to find his father. On the other hand, Brodsky dwells on outlining a relationship between a father and a son - “You’ve long since ceased to be that babe
before whom I reined in the plowing bullocks” - and has no particular interest in glorifying Greek culture. Instead, Brodsky tells a tale of a man’s individual loss rather than destined events.
Both Homer and Brodsky highlight the results of the futile war. However, their approaches towards the topic are rather divergent. Homer sees war as a necessary course of action to achieve good, while Brodsky labels war as rather unnecessary for the proper function of the society – “While we were wasting time there.” Homer envisions glory in gore while Brodsky loathes the ideology.
The allusion to supernatural events is evident in both versions of the poem. Each stanza of Brodsky’s redesigned account shows some elements of superhuman trickery – For instance the last stanza has “Had it not been for Palamedes’ trick we two would still be living in one household.” While Homer’s intended usage of these devices may have been inspired by the Greek way of life, Brodsky’s voice used them within the contemporary environment to exonerate himself from his past incidents. Additionally, Brodsky alludes to the reader’s knowledge of common Greek mythology, and psychology. More specifically, he uses the term “Oedipal passions” coined by Freud to allude to the desire felt for opposite-sex parent.
Overall, Brodsky’s re-make of the original poem manages to explore contemporary meanings while retaining its initial meanings. The author manages to utilize a several poetic devices based on the ability of the reader to fuse realities of modern situations and the ancient Greek populations. In this regard, Brodsky’s work managed to creatively interpret the poem to yield new meanings in the original context that Homer intended.
Works Cited
Brodsky, Joseph. Odysseus to Telemachus. 1972. 15 October 2017. .
Homer. The Odyssey. n.d. 14 October 2017. .
