Review by Choice Review
As he has in other books--for example, Oedipus: The Meaning of a Masculine Life (CH, Jul'98, 35-6074) and Somewhere I Have Never Travelled: The Second Self and the Hero's Journey in Ancient Epic (CH, May'92, 29-5014), Van Nortwick (Oberlin College) focuses on the identity of the hero, especially the tensions involved in heroism. Following the terminology of John Peradotto in Man in the Middle Voice: Name and Narration in the Odyssey (CH, CH, Sep'91, 29-0205), the author discusses the centrifugal and the centripetal aspects of Odysseus. The centripetal Odysseus, who fulfills the purpose of Athena, is dedicated to returning home and recapturing his fame among the people who know him. The centrifugal Odysseus is tempted by those, like Calypso, who would offer him a different happiness, away from home and without fame among humans. The potential joys of the anonymous, nonheroic life are also depicted during the disguised Odysseus' visit with Eumaeus the swineherd. Van Nortwick's interpretations offer thought-provoking insights into Odysseus' characterization, although some readers may find that the author overemphasizes the ambiguities in the poem. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. S. E. Goins McNeese State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
