The Odyssey (Homer, 8th Century BC)

The Odyssey, Homer’s epic poem of the 8th Century BC, topped our poll. Why was it the first choice? According to writer and broadcaster Natalie Haynes: “Because it is one of the great foundational myths of western culture; because it asks what it means to be a hero; because it has great female characters in it, as well as men; because it is full of gods and monsters and is properly epic and because it forces us to question the assumptions we might have about quests, war, and the ever-current issue of what it means to return home.” Lisa Appignanesi, novelist and critic, picks out its influence on all that followed, arguing “It’s a basic story template – of the journey which is also a return”. Kenneth W Warren, Professor of English at the University of Chicago, agrees. “There’s no getting around how foundational Homer’s epic has been for storytelling in the West. The Odyssey has provided the architecture for the quest narrative and the template for characterising male and female virtue in ways that shape, enable, and limit our storytelling habits into the present.” David Varno, literary critic, highlights the ingenuity woven through the epic poem: “The many triumphs of wit and grit on the part of Odysseus and Penelope must have counted for something over the millennia.” Meanwhile, Bethanne Patrick, Contributing Editor of Lit Hub, picks out another strand. “I believe the journey of Odysseus defined a streak of individualism particular to Western culture that has led to much change in the world – good and bad.” And the novelist Beverley Naidoo hones in on the ways it has become embedded in wider culture: “The multiple stories within Odysseus’ 10-year journey home after the Trojan war, while faithful Penelope waits for him and son Telemachus seeks him, have seeped deep into our cultural consciousness. The human elements within this myriad of stories continue to resonate down the centuries, allowing endless reinterpretation.” (Credit: Howard Timberlake)