Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey unfolds on a colossal scale. War, gods, monsters and a hero fighting his way home. But one of Nolan's notions about the beleaguered Odysseus was derived from a single striking sentence. It reads, "Tell me about a complicated man." That is how Emily Wilson begins her acclaimed translations of Homer's epic. Wilson's version is vivid, direct, and built to move, absent of stately, ornate language that can distance modern readers from the poem.
As Nolan's blockbuster film returns audiences to Homer, Wilson has welcomed the renewed attention, but after seeing it, she has thoughts of her own. She shares them with Jared Bowen on the Culture Show.
0:00 Introduction
1:11 What drew Emily Wilson to Homer's epic?
2:25 Wilson explains her role as translator
6:08 The layers of the poem
10:30 Wilson on her role as the first woman to write an English translation of The Odyssey
12:20 Wilson's thoughts on the film
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Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey unfolds on a colossal scale. War, gods, monsters and a hero fighting his way home. But one of Nolan's notions about the beleaguered Odysseus was derived from a single striking sentence. It reads, "Tell me about a complicated man." That is how Emily Wilson begins her acclaimed translations of Homer's epic. Wilson's version is vivid, direct, and built to move, absent of stately, ornate language that can distance modern readers from the poem.
As Nolan's blockbuster film returns audiences to Homer, Wilson has welcomed the renewed attention, but after seeing it, she has thoughts of her own. She shares them with Jared Bowen on the Culture Show.
0:00 Introduction
1:11 What drew Emily Wilson to Homer's epic?
2:25 Wilson explains her role as translator
6:08 The layers of the poem
10:30 Wilson on her role as the first woman to write an English translation of The Odyssey
12:20 Wilson's thoughts on the film
GBH News wants to hear from YOU! We are conducting our annual audience survey 📝 bit.ly/3ZQXSQr. This will help us understand your interests and what you want to see more of from us. It only takes a few minutes, and we are grateful for your input. 🙌
GBH News is a premier source for in-depth local news and original story telling based in Boston, Massachusetts.
Subscribe to the GBH News YouTube channel: youtube.com/c/gbhnews?sub_confirmation=1
Subscribe to our GBH Daily newsletter at wgbh.org/daily?utm_Newsletter=GBH_Daily_YouTube_CTA
Follow GBH News on Instagram: instagram.com/gbhnews
Like GBH News on Facebook: facebook.com/gbhnews
Visit our website: wgbh.org/news
Support GBH and help shape a future where facts matter, stories unite us, and everyone has access to quality media. Join us. Fund the Future: bit.ly/FundtheFutureYT
