Monster and Hero?: Rethinking Polyphemos and Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey.

In this article I will challenge the supposed binaries between monster and hero by offering a new reading of the Odyssey which invites us to rethink the monstrosity of one of Homer’s most memorable monsters, the Cyclops Polyphemos, and the monstrosity of the poem’s eponymous hero, Odysseus. While mo...

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Publicado en:Limina Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 31 - 43
Autor principal: Pratt, Kim Emmerson
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: University of Western Australia Dec2023
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        au: Pratt, Kim Emmerson
        affil: Open University, United Kingdom.
      su:
        Odyssey of Homer
        Monsters
        Homer, fl. ca. 900 B.C.-ca. 801 B.C.
        Heroes
        Ambivalence
        Ambiguity
        Definitions
        Poetry (Literary form)
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          Odyssey of Homer
          Monsters
          Homer, fl. ca. 900 B.C.-ca. 801 B.C.
          Heroes
          Ambivalence
          Ambiguity
          Definitions
          Poetry (Literary form)
      ab: In this article I will challenge the supposed binaries between monster and hero by offering a new reading of the Odyssey which invites us to rethink the monstrosity of one of Homer’s most memorable monsters, the Cyclops Polyphemos, and the monstrosity of the poem’s eponymous hero, Odysseus. While most definitions of the word monster have negative connotations usually referring to appearance, it can also be related to behaviour. By drawing on Cohen’s Seven Theses as set out in his book Monster Theory and comparing the behaviour of both the supposed ‘monster,’ Polyphemos and his antagonist hero, Odysseus, I will show through selected examples from the text that a close reading of the Odyssey reveals signs of ambiguity and ambivalence towards both characters – breaking down the binaries between the two and creating a more sympathetic understanding of the ancient Cyclops
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