Homer's Odyssey and the Near East / Bruce Louden.

By:

Louden, Bruce, 1954-

Material type: Text

TextPublication details: Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2011.Description: vii, 356 p. ; 24 cmContent type:

Media type:

Carrier type:

ISBN:

9780521768207

Subject(s):

DDC classification:

883.01

Contents:

Introduction -- 1. Divine councils and apocalyptic myth -- 2. Theoxeny: Odyssey 1, 3, 13-22, and Geneisi 18-19 -- 3. Romance: The Odyssey and the myth of Joseph (Gen. 37, 39-47); Autolykos and Jacob -- 4. Odyssey 4: Helen and Rahab (Josh. 2); Menelaus and Jacob (Gen. 32:22-32) -- 5. Odyssey 5: Ogygia and creation mytho; Kalypso and Ishtar -- 6. Odyssey 6-8, 10-12, 13.1-187; Genesis 28-33; Argonautic myth: Odysseus and Nausikaa/Kirke; Jason and Medea; Jacob and Rachel -- 7. Odysseus and Jonah: sea-monsters and the fantastic voyage -- 8. The combat myth: Polyphemos and Humbaba -- 9. Catabasis, consultation, and the vision: Odyssey II, I Samuel 28, Gilgamesh 12, Aeneid 6, Plato's Allegory of the Cave, and the Book of Revelation -- 10. Thrinakia and Exodus 32: Odysseus and Moses, the people disobey their leader and rebel against god -- 11. The suitors and the depiction of impious men in wisdom literature -- 12. Odysseus and Jesus: the king returns, unrecognized and abused in his kingdom -- 13. Contained apocalypse: Odyssey 12, 13, 22 and 24; Exodus 32 (and Gen. 18-19) -- Conclusion.

Summary: "The Odyssey's larger plot is composed of a number of distinct genres of myth, all of which are extant in various Near Eastern cultures (Mesopotamian, West Semitic, Egyptian). Unexpectedly, the Near Eastern culture with which the Odyssey has the most parallels is the Old Testament. Consideration of how much of the Odyssey focuses on non-heroic episodes - hosts receiving guests, a king disguised as a beggar, recognition scenes between long-separated family members - reaffirms the Odyssey's parallels with the Bible. In particular the book argues that the Odyssey is in a dialogic relationship with Genesis, which features the same three types of myth that comprise the majority of the Odyssey: theoxeny, romance (Joseph in Egypt), and Argonautic myth (Jacob winning Rachel from Laban). The Odyssey also offers intriguing parallels to the Book of Jonah, and Odysseus' treatment by the suitors offers close parallels to the Gospels' depiction of Christ in Jerusalem"-- Publisher's description.

Holdings ( 1 )
Title notes ( 3 )

Holdings
Item type	Current library	Call number	Status	Date due	Barcode	Item holds	Course reserves
Reserve - Overnight loan	CYA Library Reserve	883.01 LOU (Browse shelf(Opens below))	Available		00000010286		Fassa, Eleni

Total holds: 0

Includes bibliographical references (p. 330-344) and index.

"The Odyssey's larger plot is composed of a number of distinct genres of myth, all of which are extant in various Near Eastern cultures (Mesopotamian, West Semitic, Egyptian). Unexpectedly, the Near Eastern culture with which the Odyssey has the most parallels is the Old Testament. Consideration of how much of the Odyssey focuses on non-heroic episodes - hosts receiving guests, a king disguised as a beggar, recognition scenes between long-separated family members - reaffirms the Odyssey's parallels with the Bible. In particular the book argues that the Odyssey is in a dialogic relationship with Genesis, which features the same three types of myth that comprise the majority of the Odyssey: theoxeny, romance (Joseph in Egypt), and Argonautic myth (Jacob winning Rachel from Laban). The Odyssey also offers intriguing parallels to the Book of Jonah, and Odysseus' treatment by the suitors offers close parallels to the Gospels' depiction of Christ in Jerusalem"-- Publisher's description.