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3 clusters · 8 sources · 25 days · First seen · Last updated
Emily Wilson Odyssey translation developments
Overview
Classical scholar Emily Wilson, known for her 2017 English verse translation of Homer’s Odyssey, has discussed the literary influences behind her work and her criticisms of contemporary adaptations. In recent commentary, she identified several books that informed her approach to rhythm and clarity, while also describing Christopher Nolan’s recent epic film as “emotionally empty” and “structurally strained.”
Wilson has since announced that she is undertaking an entirely new, complete retranslation of The Odyssey rather than a revision of her previous version. This new project, which is reportedly halfway complete, aims for greater linguistic precision regarding ancient social roles. Specifically, Wilson noted that her previous version frequently used the word ‘slave’ to describe various social roles that the ancient Greek language distinguishes more specifically. The new edition is expected to be more extensive and feature a different formal structure, utilizing more lines than the original to allow for more varied pacing and word length.
Industry experts, including Kate Deimling of the American Translators Association, have noted that while minor edits are common, a full retranslation of such a commercially successful epic within a decade is “highly unusual” in the publishing industry. Despite the controversy surrounding her criticism of Nolan’s film—which cited her 2017 translation as an influence—both the film and her previous translation have contributed to a significant surge in book sales for the epic poem.
Entities
Emily Wilson · University of Pennsylvania · Homer · Christopher Nolan · American Translators Association
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The new work is a complete retranslation of Homer’s The Odyssey rather than a revision of the 2017 version. gacetamexicana.com · apnews.com · time.news
- [● 3 SOURCES] Wilson is approximately halfway through the new translation project. gacetamexicana.com · apnews.com · time.news
- [● 3 SOURCES] The 2017 translation overused the single English word 'slave' to describe various distinct categories of enslaved people in ancient Greek. gacetamexicana.com · apnews.com · time.news
- [● 3 SOURCES] Starting over entirely on a successful, full-length classical text is virtually unheard of in modern publishing. gacetamexicana.com · apnews.com · time.news
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The new edition of The Odyssey will be more extensive than the previous version. gacetamexicana.com
Timeline
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12 days ago
[CULTURE] 2 sourcesEmily Wilson to retranslate Homer’s Odyssey from scratchProfessor Emily Wilson is retranslating Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ from scratch, seeking to implement a more nuanced approach to the ancient Greek text than her bestselling 2017 version.
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14 days ago
[CULTURE] 6 sourcesEmily Wilson to undertake complete retranslation of The OdysseyProfessor Emily Wilson is performing a complete retranslation of Homer’s The Odyssey, aiming for greater linguistic precision regarding social roles and ancient Greek terminology.
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about 1 month ago
[CULTURE] 2 sourcesEmily Wilson on the books that shaped her Odyssey translation and her criticism of Nolan’s filmEmily Wilson details the five books that inspired her acclaimed Odyssey translation and condemns Christopher Nolan’s film as emotionally empty and structurally strained.
Sources
artsjournal.com · breitbart.com · gacetamexicana.com · thanhnien.vn · theguardian.com · time.news · timesnownews.com · uzalendonews.co.ke
This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history