Two translations of The Odyssey, by Robert Fitzgerald and Emily Wilson create nuances about the characters. The variations in the Wilson translation and Fitzgerald translation of The Odyssey make distinctions in how the reader views Odysseus, Penelope and Telemakhos. Odysseus left for Ithaka 20 years ago. Suitors stay in Odysseus’s house to attempt to win Penelope’s hand in marriage. Eurykleia, the nurse, tells Penelope Odysseus killed all the suitors. Penelope thinks Odysseus has not returned. She descends the stairs to see who killed all the suitors. Penelope sees Odysseus. The Fitzgerald translation justifies the male dominated hierarchy. The male dominated hierarchy exists in the Wilson translation, but Wilson emphasizes that it is unfair
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Wilson’s Odysseus asks Telemakhos “, what do you suggest”(23.121) after telling Telemakhos about the danger they are in while Fitzgerald’s Odysseus tells Telemakhos after briefing him on their situation to “[c]onsider that”(XXIII.138). Wilson’s Odysseus is asking for advice. Odysseus only asks advice from equals and superiors. The people who give Odysseus advice are usually gods. For Odysseus to seek advice from Telemakhos means Odysseus sees Telemakhos as an equal. Fitzgerald’s Odysseus wants Telemakhos to consider what Odysseus just said. Fitzgerald’s Odysseus sees Telemakhos not yet as an equal, but nonetheless someone who’s opinion on Odysseus’s plan is valuable. In Fitzgerald’s translation, Odysseus relates himself to a killer with “no force of armed men at his back”(XXIII.135) while there is no mention of this in the Wilson translation. Thus, in the Fitzgerald translation Odysseus does not think he has any men to help him. Thus, Fitzgerald’s Odysseus thinks of Telemakhos as neither a man yet nor an equal. Wilson’s Odysseus mentions nothing about having no armed men. Wilson’s Odysseus not only thinks of Telemakhos as an equal but also makes him feel like one. Fitzgerald’s Odysseus does the opposite. In the Fitzgerald translation, after Odysseus’s briefing about the situation they are in Telemakhos replies “respectfully”(XXIII.139). In the Wilson translation …show more content…
She shows us that Penelope strategizes and is in many ways an equal to Odysseus. But with all Penelope’s strategizing, she cannot escape getting reprimanded by Telemakhos. Telemakhos is Penelope’s superior, no matter how much of a strategist Penelope may be. Penelope definitely is not an equal to Odysseus in the men’s eyes. Odysseus will not even talk to her! Fitzgerald’s translation paints a different story. Yes Penelope is getting corrected by Telemakhos and yes she is not an equal to Odysseus, but it is all justifiable. She is a woman. She is too emotional. We can’t let a woman get involved in men’s affairs. As a final thought, we must remember who is telling the story. The two men Odysseus spared. Until Emily Wilson, no woman has ever told the story of The Odyssey. So are we given enough information to judge the characters, or are we just being told half of the
Wilson’s Odysseus asks Telemakhos “, what do you suggest”(23.121) after telling Telemakhos about the danger they are in while Fitzgerald’s Odysseus tells Telemakhos after briefing him on their situation to “[c]onsider that”(XXIII.138). Wilson’s Odysseus is asking for advice. Odysseus only asks advice from equals and superiors. The people who give Odysseus advice are usually gods. For Odysseus to seek advice from Telemakhos means Odysseus sees Telemakhos as an equal. Fitzgerald’s Odysseus wants Telemakhos to consider what Odysseus just said. Fitzgerald’s Odysseus sees Telemakhos not yet as an equal, but nonetheless someone who’s opinion on Odysseus’s plan is valuable. In Fitzgerald’s translation, Odysseus relates himself to a killer with “no force of armed men at his back”(XXIII.135) while there is no mention of this in the Wilson translation. Thus, in the Fitzgerald translation Odysseus does not think he has any men to help him. Thus, Fitzgerald’s Odysseus thinks of Telemakhos as neither a man yet nor an equal. Wilson’s Odysseus mentions nothing about having no armed men. Wilson’s Odysseus not only thinks of Telemakhos as an equal but also makes him feel like one. Fitzgerald’s Odysseus does the opposite. In the Fitzgerald translation, after Odysseus’s briefing about the situation they are in Telemakhos replies “respectfully”(XXIII.139). In the Wilson translation …show more content…
She shows us that Penelope strategizes and is in many ways an equal to Odysseus. But with all Penelope’s strategizing, she cannot escape getting reprimanded by Telemakhos. Telemakhos is Penelope’s superior, no matter how much of a strategist Penelope may be. Penelope definitely is not an equal to Odysseus in the men’s eyes. Odysseus will not even talk to her! Fitzgerald’s translation paints a different story. Yes Penelope is getting corrected by Telemakhos and yes she is not an equal to Odysseus, but it is all justifiable. She is a woman. She is too emotional. We can’t let a woman get involved in men’s affairs. As a final thought, we must remember who is telling the story. The two men Odysseus spared. Until Emily Wilson, no woman has ever told the story of The Odyssey. So are we given enough information to judge the characters, or are we just being told half of the