Discussion Précis by Tony Groesbeck

“The Odyssey”

It is difficult to overstate the significance of The Odyssey by Homer. It is universally viewed as a seminal work in the canon western literature, which is a somewhat pretentious way of saying something like “if The Odyssey hadn’t been written 2,700 (ish) years ago and read a lot ever since, your life today would be significantly different. Exactly how life would be different is hard to say with any confidence, but I think it is fair to say that, at the very least, the worldview represented in the poem was a foundational ingredient in what we call “Western Civilization.” Presented in this book with all its vices and virtues, glories and foibles, heroes and monsters, the ancient Greek worldview, (half of the now ubiquitous term, “Greco-Roman”) was only waiting for the philosophical consummation of a marriage with the Judeo/Christian worldview to produce the cultural love-child that is Western Civilization. Yes, child of the West, this book has been passed down to you by your people. In it, you will find early examples (and perhaps even origins) of values, fears, and tendencies that guided your decision-making this morning; literature doesn’t really get much more relevant than that.

Now, while the above paragraph may touch on the fact that The Odyssey is an important book to read, the adventure itself makes it a fun book to read! Tragedy, hope, monsters, a deeply-flawed hero on an all-encompassing quest, this epic poem has so many elements it’s hard to even categorize.

Is it a coming-of-age? Yes.
Is it a romance? Yes.
Is it a fantasy? Yes.
Revenge story? Action/adventure? Thriller/suspense? Crime? Historical Fiction? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!

Maybe that is why bookstores just put it in the “Classics” section. In the end, it doesn’t really matter what genre you put it in, because if you let it, The Odyssey will teach you; it will make you lean into life. Mortimer Adler (who among many other accomplishments, was chairman of the Encyclopædia Britannica’s Board of Editors from 1974 to 1995) once wrote:

“Great Books are those that contain the best materials on which the human mind can work in order to gain insight, understanding, and wisdom. Each of them, in its own way,

raises the recurrent basic questions which men must face. Because these questions never are completely solved, these books are the sources and monuments of a continuing intellectual tradition.”

Clearly, The Odyssey meets Adler’s definition of a “great book.” Perhaps it also meets yours and mine, but honestly, it doesn’t matter. It feels silly to try and place ourselves in some sort of position to be all judgey about a work of literature that has held its place in the world for nearly 3,000 years. The best we can do is try to digest it. It is food that enriches the heart and soul, much like a great meal that enriches bones and muscle; if we can teach our tastes to savor such rich fare, we will be much the better for it, and if not- the meal is not to blame.

So, let’s raise our glasses, and pray that our Lord (of whom Odysseus was perhaps a shadowy inkling) will bless our time with fellowship, fun, and food- for body AND soul!

Discussion:

I am not ashamed to say that I have truly been looking forward to tonight. To help get the conversation going, I wanted to provide a couple of potential avenues we could follow if they seem interesting:

1. Should Christians read pagan classics?
2. Can it work as an allegory?
3. How does the poem work as an example of the genres listed above?
4. Did you find it hard to read this book? Why or why not? Is it worth the effort?